Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev dispute timeline of canceled White House fight

A public disagreement has emerged between Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev regarding why their proposed fight at the White House event did not materialize. Topuria claimed he went to sleep knowing the fight with Makhachev was scheduled to be announced, but received a call hours before the announcement stating Islam had suffered an injury and he would face Justin Gaethje instead. He expressed confusion about why Makhachev doesn't want to fight him. Makhachev responded by calling Topuria's account fabricated, stating he was offered and accepted the White House fight, but the next day was told Topuria requested a massive purse and was denied. Islam accused Topuria of refusing the fight and lying about the circumstances, adding that Topuria's manager confirmed this version. The conflicting accounts have left fans questioning which fighter is telling the truth about the negotiation breakdown.