Ilia Topuria has accused Islam Makhachev of making an “excuse” to avoid fighting him at the White House, after Topuria was paired with Justin Gaethje.
On Saturday, it was announced that Topuria will defend the UFC lightweight title against interim champion Gaethje on 14 June, at an unprecedented event on the South Lawn.
The pair will headline the fight card, as Topuria makes his first defence of the belt he won last June. The Spanish-Georgian knocked out former champion Charles Oliveira to claim the title after it had been vacated by Makhachev.
Just as Topuria had moved up in weight after relinquishing the featherweight belt, Makhachev ventured up to welterweight and won gold in November. Still, Topuria clung to hopes of a dream clash with Makhachev, who tops the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings while Topuria sits at No 2.
Now, Topuria has even claimed that he was due to face Makhachev at the White House, writing on X: “Once again Islam comes up with an excuse. This time it’s an injury.
“I always knew I would be part of the White House event. Even when the UFC told me at one point that they wouldn’t count on me for the event, I knew it was part of the negotiation. When they finally told me I would be on the White House card, they mentioned Islam and I didn’t hesitate for a second to accept the fight.
“Even though the fight hadn’t been officially confirmed yet, the White House card was going to be announced the next day. And when I woke, I found out that Islam had gotten injured. And then Justin Gaethje appeared.”
“Once again, someone else who will pay for Islam’s escape,” Topuria continued, before making a crass jibe at Ali Abdelaziz: “Both of their manager is a b***h and also ugly as hell.
“Justin, see you at the White House. I’m not someone who humiliates people. It will be quick. When you wake up, everything will already be over.”
Topuria’s post followed a report from Marca that a fight between the 29-year-old and Makhachev, 34, had been planned for the White House event. However, Dana White dismissed the idea at a press conference on Saturday.
The UFC president told reporters: “That’s not true [that Makhachev was going to fight Topuria]. It was never Islam vs Topuria. Don’t worry about what fights are being made; we announce which ones are made and which ones will be happening.
“I told you there were some weird circumstances, the reason that [one] fight fell out [...] All the boys went back to the office and literally were there ‘til 9 in the morning, and that’s how Gaethje ended up on the card. And Topuria wasn’t originally supposed to be on the card either, so he got the call, too.
“I don’t know [when Makhachev will return]; he’s got some hand issues, I know that. I don’t know how serious the hand issues are or how long that will keep him out, but yeah, he’s injured.”
Topuria will carry an unbeaten record of 17-0 (7 KOs, 8 submissions) into the White House event, while American Gaethje, 37, has a record of 27-5 (19 KOs, 2 subs).
Is the UFC’s White House card good enough? Grading every fight
Jon Jones and Dana White feud escalates with Tom Aspinall in surprise defence of rival
Tom Aspinall provides positive update on UFC return timeline amid eye injury
Jon Jones and Dana White feud builds with Tom Aspinall in surprise defence of rival
Tom Aspinall provides positive update on UFC return timeline amid eye injury
