Topuria and Makhachev dispute what happened with White House event fight negotiations

Ilia Topuria claimed he went to sleep knowing he would fight Islam Makhachev at the White House event, but was told hours before the announcement that Makhachev was injured and he would face Justin Gaethje instead. Topuria stated he doesn't understand why Makhachev doesn't want to fight him. Islam Makhachev responded by saying he's tired of lies from Topuria's team, claiming he agreed to the fight when offered but was told the next day that Topuria requested a huge fee and was denied. Makhachev stated that Topuria refused the fight and knows it, adding that even Topuria's manager confirmed this version. In a notable exchange, when a fan commented at 4 AM telling Ali Abdelaziz to go to sleep, Makhachev replied "today it's not him," suggesting he was personally managing his account. The conflicting accounts have left the MMA community debating who is telling the truth.