Ilia Topuria accuses Islam Makhachev of ducking him for White House fight, Makhachev responds
The lightweight champion says he was ready to challenge for a third divisional title, but an injury to Makhachev may have prevented the fight from being booked
Two days after his return to the Octagon was announced for the June 14 UFC Freedom 250 card in Washington, D.C., UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria hasn't slowed down his accusations that rival Islam Makhachev avoided the fight.
Topuria (17-0), who will look to snap a one-year layoff when he faces interim 155-pound titleholder Justin Gaethje in the White House headlining bout, took to social media on Tuesday to clear up his side of how the negotiation went down.
"Once again, Islam comes up with an excuse," Topuria wrote. "This time, it's an injury."
Once again Islam comes up with an excuse. This time it’s an injury.
— Ilia Topuria (@Topuriailia) March 10, 2026
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…
UFC president and CEO Dana White revealed at Saturday's UFC 326 post-fight press conference that Makhachev (28-1) was originally in discussion for the White House event but had to pull out with a hand injury. It's a sentiment that was confirmed by Topuria's manager, Malki Kawa of First Round Management, during an interview on the "Anik & Florian Podcast," where he outlined the specifics of the all-night negotiation late Friday.
"We were told that Ilia was not going to be on that card earlier that week. Then, we get a call that says, 'Hey, if we can make a fight, you can fight Islam or Gaethje.' We were focused on getting an Islam fight."
A bout between Makhachev and Topuria is generally considered the best fight UFC could make in 2026, pitting the top two pound-for-pound ranked fighters against one another. The welterweight title clash would also give Topuria the opportunity to become the first three-division champion in UFC history.
Makhachev vacated his lightweight title last year and claimed publicly that Topuria, who was also moving up in weight after vacating his featherweight crown, hadn't accomplished enough to warrant an immediate title shot at 155 pounds. Instead, Makhachev made his welterweight debut last November by dominating Jack Della Maddalena over five rounds to win the 170-pound title.
"When [the UFC] 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," Topuria wrote. "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 hasn't fought since he knocked out Charles Oliveira in their vacant lightweight title bout at UFC 317 last June and continued to sit idle while taking care of personal issues following a divorce. Gaethje, meanwhile, captured the interim lightweight title by outpointing Paddy Pimblett in January at UFC 324.
"Justin, see you at the White House," Topuria wrote. "I'm not someone who humiliates people. It will be quick. When you wake up, everything will already be over."
Makhachev was quick to respond to Topuria's comments on Tuesday.
"We both know who chickened out here," Makhachev wrote. "You can cover your cowardice with nasty tweets, but don't worry, one day you will get what you asked for! And your fat ass manager don't have to ask for billions to fight me, we'll do it for free."
