Ilia Topuria has taken direct aim at Islam Makhachev and the UFC’s handling of the White House card negotiations, turning what was already a historic event into a public feud that now stretches across social media, management, and the promotion itself.
Ilia Topuria blasts Islam Makhachev over scrapped White House fight
The lightweight champion went on X and laid out his version of how talks for the June 14 UFC White House main event unfolded, claiming he had been ready to face Makhachev before an injury removed the welterweight titleholder from the picture. “Once again Islam comes up with an excuse. This time it’s an injury,” Topuria wrote, framing the situation as part of a pattern in their ongoing back-and-forth. He added: “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.”
Topuria said the UFC eventually reversed course and confirmed his spot on the card, telling him Makhachev was being discussed as the opponent. “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,” he wrote, insisting he had agreed on his side before anything was announced publicly. According to Topuria, everything was lined up to go live: “Even though the fight hadn’t been officially confirmed yet, the White House card was going to be announced the next day.”
The Georgian‑Spanish star then described waking up to a very different reality. “And when I woke, I found out that Islam had gotten injured. And then Justin Gaethje appeared,” he posted, painting Gaethje as the one stepping into a slot he believes Makhachev vacated. The UFC has confirmed that Topuria will headline the White House event against Gaethje in a lightweight title unification bout, after Gaethje claimed interim gold earlier in the year. Topuria is the undefeated lightweight champion and former featherweight champion, while Makhachev currently holds the UFC welterweight belt after moving up from lightweight.
From there, Topuria’s message turned personal. “Once again, someone else who will pay for Islam’s escape. Both of their manager is a bitch and also ugly as hell,” he wrote, referring to Makhachev, Gaethje and their shared representation. He then sent a direct warning to his new opponent: “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.”
The public shots from Topuria arrive after days of confusion about whether Makhachev was ever truly in talks to fight on the White House card. UFC CEO Dana White has flatly denied that a Topuria–Makhachev bout was booked, saying “It was never Islam vs Topuria” and explaining that another, undisclosed fight collapsed before Justin Gaethje was drafted in for the main event. Makhachev is dealing with a hand injury, with White saying the welterweight champion “is injured” and could be out for some time, though he did not provide a timeline.
Topuria’s own manager, Malki Kawa, recently said the UFC offered Topuria the option of either Makhachev or Gaethje during a frantic overnight negotiation window, but stressed that no deal with Makhachev was ever finalized before the promotion pivoted fully to Gaethje. He described talks running from around midnight to late the following morning, with Topuria’s side agreeing to both potential opponents before money and timing ultimately led to the Gaethje fight being signed.
Whether or not a champ‑vs‑champ clash at the White House was ever truly close, Topuria has made his stance clear: in his eyes, Makhachev walked away, and Gaethje now has to deal with the consequences.
