Islam Makhachev asserts that he was ready to face Ilia Topuria on June 14 at the White House. The dual-division champion states he immediately accepted the offer for the superfight, but other factors, beyond his control, prevented it from happening.
Topuria, the undisputed lightweight champion, is now scheduled to face Justin Gaethje, the current interim 155-pound titleholder, in the main event of UFC Freedom 250.
Previously, various explanations for why this highly anticipated clash between two UFC multi-division champions didn’t materialize were put forth by Ilia Topuria, his manager, and Islam Makhachev’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz. Makhachev has now presented his perspective on the situation.
In a recent interview with Red Corner MMA, the Russian fighter clarified that his hand was never injured, contrary to reports from Dana White and claims made by Topuria, which had been cited as the reason the pound-for-pound king couldn’t accept a fight against “El Matador” on June 14.
Makhachev further stated that he possesses text messages to substantiate his claim of not having sustained any injury, thereby discrediting the false narratives circulating. He also alleged that Topuria requested “insane money” for the fight, which he believes may have led the UFC to reject the bout.
“I don’t have any injuries… I can show you the chats with my manager. He called me: ‘The White House event, a fight against Topuria’. And I said: ‘Let’s go’, right away. But then the next day [Ali] called me and said it’s cancelled. He told me that [Topuria] asked for some insane money, and that was it. [Ilia] claims that I pulled out because of the hand injury. It had nothing to do with the hand. I said ‘yes’ right away, without asking for more money and stuff like that.”
Islam Makhachev is reportedly expected to make the first defense of his welterweight title in August, with rumors suggesting a fight against Ian Machado Garry.
Meanwhile, Topuria still has Makhachev in his sights. Following his lightweight title unification bout on June 14, “El Matador” intends to move up in weight to challenge and potentially dethrone the welterweight champion and pound-for-pound king.
Islam Makhachev Rejects Hand Injury Claims, Details Real Reason for Ilia Topuria Fight Cancellation
Islam Makhachev has refuted reports of a hand injury, stating it was not the reason a potential fight against Ilia Topuria on June 14 at the White House fell through. Makhachev claims he readily agreed to the bout, but other undisclosed circumstances led to its cancellation, for which he denies responsibility.
The lightweight champion will now face Justin Gaethje, the interim 155-pound titleholder, in the headline event of UFC Freedom 250.
Prior to Makhachev’s statement, explanations for the failed superfight between the two multi-division UFC champions had been circulated by Ilia Topuria, his manager, and Islam Makhachev’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz. Makhachev has now offered his account.
Speaking with Red Corner MMA, Makhachev dismissed the notion of a hand injury, which had been publicly stated by Dana White and Topuria as the obstacle to the pound-for-pound king accepting a fight with “El Matador” on June 14. Makhachev stated he has text message evidence to prove he was injury-free and challenged the circulating false narratives.
Furthermore, Makhachev alleged that Topuria demanded excessive financial compensation for the fight, which he suggests was the actual reason for the UFC’s refusal to proceed.
Makhachev is currently rumored to be defending his welterweight title in August, potentially against Ian Machado Garry.
Topuria remains focused on Makhachev, planning to move up to welterweight after his upcoming lightweight title unification bout to challenge the reigning champion and pound-for-pound best.
English Translation:
Islam Makhachev states he was willing to fight Ilia Topuria on June 14 at the White House. The two-division titleholder claims he accepted the superfight offer immediately, but other reasons, for which he cannot be held responsible, prevented it from happening.
The undisputed lightweight champion, Topuria, will now face the current two-time interim 155-pound titleholder, Justin Gaethje, in the main event of UFC Freedom 250.
Previously, various narratives emerged from Ilia Topuria, his manager, and Islam Makhachev’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, regarding why this superfight between the two two-division UFC champions did not materialize. Makhachev has now shared his side of the story.
In a recent conversation with Red Corner MMA, the Russian fighter revealed that his hand was never injured, contrary to what Dana White had reported to the media and what Topuria had claimed, citing it as the reason the pound-for-pound king could not accept a fight with “El Matador” on June 14.
Makhachev added that he has text messages to prove he was never injured and dismisses all the fabricated narratives that are circulating. Lastly, the 34-year-old alleged that Topuria requested “insane money” to fight him, which he believes might be why the UFC declined the bout.
“I don’t have any injuries… I can show you the chats with my manager. He called me: ‘The White House event, a fight against Topuria’. And I said: ‘Let’s go’, right away. But then the next day [Ali] called me and said it’s cancelled. He told me that [Topuria] asked for some insane money, and that was it. [Ilia] claims that I pulled out because of the hand injury. It had nothing to do with the hand. I said ‘yes’ right away, without asking for more money and stuff like that.”
Islam Makhachev is now rumored to be making the first defense of his welterweight title in August, with sources suggesting he will fight Ian Machado Garry.
Topuria, on the other hand, still has Makhachev in his sights. After the June 14 lightweight title unification bout, “El Matador” plans to move up next and dethrone the welterweight titleholder and pound-for-pound king.