Ilia Topuria, the lightweight champion, is set to headline the UFC’s White House event on June 14, facing interim titleholder Justin Gaethje. However, Topuria had initially sought a bout against welterweight champion Islam Makhachev.
Topuria’s decision to vacate his featherweight title and move up to lightweight was driven by a desire to become a two-division UFC champion and, specifically, to fight Makhachev. Coincidentally, Makhachev also moved up to the welterweight division from lightweight, similarly aiming for a second UFC title.
Topuria firmly believes Makhachev has deliberately avoided a confrontation, accusing the highly-ranked pound-for-pound fighter of “ducking” their potential matchup at the UFC White House event.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Topuria expressed frustration, stating, “Once again Islam comes up with an excuse. This time it’s an injury.” He detailed his certainty about participating in the White House event, even when initially told otherwise, viewing it as a negotiation tactic. Topuria recounted accepting a fight against Makhachev without hesitation once it was mentioned for the card. However, he awoke the following day to news of Makhachev’s injury, leading to Justin Gaethje stepping in. Topuria declared, “Once again, someone else who will pay for Islam’s escape,” adding a derogatory comment about their shared manager, Ali Abdelaziz.
Addressing Gaethje directly, Topuria confidently declared, “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.”
