Topuria and Makhachev dispute account of White House event fight negotiations

Ilia Topuria claimed he was informed he would fight Islam Makhachev at the White House event, only to be told hours before the announcement that Makhachev was injured and he would face Justin Gaethje instead. Islam Makhachev responded directly, stating he agreed to the fight but was told Topuria requested an excessive fee and was denied. Makhachev's manager apparently confirmed this version of events. The public exchange highlights conflicting accounts of how the White House card came together, with each fighter accusing the other of preventing the matchup. Makhachev posted his response at 4 AM local time, prompting a fan to suggest he go to sleep, to which he replied indicating his manager handles social media but this particular post was his own.