Topuria and Makhachev dispute story behind cancelled White House bout

Ilia Topuria claimed he went to sleep knowing he would fight Islam Makhachev at the White House event, but hours before the announcement was told Makhachev was injured and he would face Justin Gaethje instead. Topuria questioned why Makhachev doesn't want to fight him, calling the situation strange. Islam Makhachev responded by saying he's tired of hearing fabrications from Topuria and his team, stating he agreed to the White House fight but was told the next day that Topuria demanded a huge fee and was refused. Makhachev insisted that Topuria turned down the fight and accused him of lying. In a separate note, Jorge Masvidal and Dustin Poirier both picked Sean Strickland in his upcoming fight with Khamzat Chimaev. Additionally, Dricus Du Plessis identified Israel Adesanya as his most technical opponent and Sean Strickland and Brad Tavares as his toughest, while not considering his encounter with Chimaev a real fight.