Topuria and Makhachev trade conflicting accounts about White House fight collapse

Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev have offered contradictory explanations for why their planned White House event fight fell through. Topuria claims he went to sleep knowing the fight was scheduled but was told hours before the announcement that Makhachev suffered an injury and he would fight Justin Gaethje instead. Makhachev countered that he agreed to the fight, but the next day was told Topuria requested a massive fee and was denied, calling Topuria's story fabrication. In a notable exchange, when a fan suggested it was Makhachev's manager Ali Abdelaziz posting, Makhachev replied "Today it's not him," implying he was personally responding. The conflicting narratives have fueled ongoing controversy about which fighter declined the matchup.