Topuria and Makhachev dispute story about White House fight cancellation

Ilia Topuria claimed he went to sleep expecting to fight Islam Makhachev after being informed the bout would be announced at the White House event, but hours before the announcement he was told Makhachev was injured and he would face Justin Gaethje instead. Topuria stated he doesn't understand why Makhachev doesn't want to fight him, calling the situation strange. Islam Makhachev responded by calling Topuria's version fabricated, stating he agreed to the White House fight when offered but was then told Topuria requested an enormous fee and was denied. Makhachev asserted that Topuria refused the fight and knows it, noting even Topuria's manager confirmed this version. The conflicting accounts have created confusion about who actually turned down the potential matchup. In related news, Jorge Masvidal and others have made predictions for upcoming fights, with general discussion about fighter matchups continuing in the MMA community.