UFC President Dana White has refuted Islam Makhachev’s account of the failed superfight with Ilia Topuria. White has sided with Topuria’s camp regarding why the highly anticipated matchup will not take place at the White House event in June.
Dana White: “That’s not true”
During a recent appearance on Adin Ross’ Kick stream, Dana White was directly asked if Ilia Topuria had priced himself out of a June 14 fight against Islam Makhachev. White unequivocally stated, “That’s not true,” dismissing Makhachev’s claim that Topuria’s financial demands scuttled the bout. The UFC CEO added that Makhachev would not be fighting in June due to a hand injury, with his return targeted for later in the summer, likely August.
Islam Makhachev vs Ilia Topuria: two stories
For weeks, Topuria had maintained that Makhachev’s injury was the reason their champion-vs-champion clash did not headline the historic White House event. He claimed he went to sleep expecting the Makhachev fight to be finalized, only to wake up and learn he would instead defend his lightweight belt against Justin Gaethje on June 14. Makhachev, however, proposed a different theory, arguing that Topuria’s “high” financial demands were the real obstacle and suggesting the Georgian-Spanish star backed out of the matchup.
Manager Malki Kawa details the talks
Topuria’s manager, Malki Kawa, provided a detailed account of the negotiations. He revealed that on a Wednesday, the UFC asked their team whether they preferred Justin Gaethje or Islam Makhachev for the White House main event, and they chose Makhachev. According to Kawa, the initial offer from the promotion was “so low” that they had no interest in it, causing talks to stall. By Friday, he said, the UFC circled back with a new offer for the Gaethje fight at the White House because Makhachev was no longer an option due to a hand issue.
Kawa asserted that Islam vs. Ilia “might be the biggest fight in UFC history” and stated he requested a reasonable purse, not a mega-figure, emphasizing it was nowhere near the kind of money typically associated with boxing blockbusters. He framed turning down the early proposal as standard negotiation, not ducking, saying it would be “foolish” to accept terms that did not reflect the stakes of a champion-vs-champion fight.
The injury timeline and what’s next
Dana White has publicly confirmed that Makhachev is indeed dealing with hand issues that removed him from the June plans, echoing previous reports that the lightweight champion has been managing a lingering ligament problem from earlier fights. Makhachev has since posted training footage that raised questions about the severity of the injury, prompting welterweight contender Ian Machado Garry to call for an August date and accuse the champion of sending mixed signals.
Overall, the situation appears less like a case of either fighter ducking and more like a high-stakes deal that never quite materialized. The UFC attempted to pivot quickly from an initial lowball offer to a White House headliner, but the timing clash with Makhachev’s hand injury and Topuria’s camp pushing for what they considered fair champion-vs-champion money meant the sides never fully aligned. With Malki Kawa openly seeking a larger payday and Makhachev publicly calling for massive fights, both men have made it clear they desire this matchup under the right conditions, rather than avoiding each other.
For now, Freedom 250 at the White House on June 14 will feature Ilia Topuria versus Justin Gaethje for the lightweight title. Fans will have to wait to see if the UFC can arrange Makhachev’s return later in the year and revisit the Islam-Ilia superfight down the line.
