Topuria and Makhachev dispute who rejected White House fight

Conflicting accounts emerged regarding a potential Topuria vs Makhachev fight at the White House event. Topuria claimed he went to sleep knowing the fight was happening, but hours before the announcement was told Makhachev was injured and he'd fight Gaethje instead. He expressed confusion about why Makhachev doesn't want the fight. Makhachev countered that he accepted the White House fight when offered, but the next day was told Topuria requested a massive fee and was turned down. He stated Topuria's manager confirmed this and accused the featherweight champion of lying about refusing the fight. In a late-night social media exchange, a fan noted it was 4 AM and told Makhachev to sleep, to which he cryptically replied "Today it's not him," suggesting someone else was managing his account. The truth remains disputed between the camps.