Topuria and Makhachev dispute White House event fight negotiations publicly

Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev have engaged in a public disagreement over negotiations for a potential White House event fight. Topuria claimed he was told hours before the announcement that he would fight Makhachev, but was later informed Makhachev was injured and he would face Gaethje instead. Makhachev countered that he agreed to the fight but Topuria requested an excessive purse and was denied. Makhachev stated that even Topuria's manager confirmed this version of events. The exchange occurred on social media, with Makhachev posting at 4 AM and notably stating "today this is not him" in response to a fan comment. The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between the two fighters over who actually declined the proposed matchup.