Ilia Topuria claimed he was initially scheduled to 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. Makhachev fired back on social media, saying he's tired of lies from Topuria and his team, claiming he agreed to the White House fight but was told Topuria demanded a huge fee and was rejected. Makhachev said even Topuria's manager confirmed this version and accused the featherweight champion of lying. When a fan joked about the late-night response, Makhachev cryptically replied "Today it's not him," suggesting someone else may be managing his account. The public dispute highlights the ongoing tension between the two champions.
A public war of words has broken out between lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and featherweight champion Ilia Topuria over who is responsible for a high-profile fight falling through at the White House event.
Topuria, who carries the number-one pound-for-pound ranking and a 17-1-0 record, claimed he was originally set to face Makhachev at the event but was informed hours before the official announcement that the Russian had suffered an injury and that Justin Gaethje would step in as his opponent instead. The 29-year-old Spaniard, known as El Matador, said publicly that he cannot understand why Makhachev appears unwilling to fight him.
Makhachev pushed back sharply on social media. The 34-year-old Dagestani, who holds a 28-1-0 record and currently competes at welterweight as champion, said he is tired of what he described as lies from Topuria and his team. Makhachev's version is that he agreed to the bout but was told Topuria demanded a fee that was ultimately rejected. He added that even Topuria's own manager corroborated his account, directly accusing the featherweight champion of being dishonest.
The exchange took an unusual turn when a fan commented on the timing of Makhachev's late-night reply, prompting the champion to cryptically respond that "Today it's not him" — a remark that appeared to suggest someone else may have been operating his account at the time.
Why it matters
- Two of MMA's most decorated active champions are now publicly at odds, muddying the path to what would be a rare cross-divisional superfight.
- Topuria, ranked number one pound-for-pound, and Makhachev, ranked number one in his division, represent the sport's two most prominent champions, making any resolution — or further breakdown — significant for both lightweight and featherweight title pictures.
- The conflicting accounts over money and injury leave the fight's prospects genuinely unclear, with both sides offering incompatible explanations and no neutral confirmation of either version.
