Topuria and Makhachev dispute fight cancellation details for White House event

Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev have offered conflicting accounts regarding a scheduled fight at the White House event. Topuria claimed he went to bed knowing the fight was announced but received a call hours before the official announcement saying Makhachev was injured and he would face Justin Gaethje instead. He stated he doesn't understand why Makhachev doesn't want to fight him. Makhachev countered by saying he agreed to the White House fight when contacted, but the next day was told Topuria requested an enormous fee and was denied. Makhachev claimed even Topuria's manager confirmed this version, accusing Topuria of lying about the situation. In a late-night social media exchange, Makhachev clarified that someone else was managing his account at 4 AM. The contradictory narratives have left fans debating which fighter is telling the truth.