Dana White Contradicts Islam Makhachev on Ilia Topuria Fight and Injury Claims

UFC President Dana White has challenged Islam Makhachev's explanation regarding the postponed superfight with Ilia Topuria, aligning with Topuria's team on why the highly anticipated matchup will not take place at the June White House card.

Dana White: "That's not true"

During a recent interview, Dana White directly addressed questions about Ilia Topuria pricing himself out of a June 14 fight against Islam Makhachev. White explicitly denied this, stating, "That's not true," and rejecting Makhachev's assertion that Topuria's financial demands scuttled the bout. The UFC CEO clarified that Makhachev is not fighting in June due to a hand injury and is expected to return later in the summer, with August being a realistic timeframe.

(A tweet from Red Corner MMA quoted Dana White clarifying: "'That's not true' Dana White clarifies Islam Makhachev’s claim, saying money wasn’t the reason Ilia skipped the fight.")

Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria: Two Stories

Ilia Topuria has consistently stated for weeks that a hand injury sustained by Makhachev was the sole reason their champion-versus-champion bout would not headline the landmark White House event. Topuria claimed he went to sleep expecting the Makhachev fight to be finalized, only to wake up and learn he would instead defend his featherweight title against Justin Gaethje on June 14. Makhachev subsequently proposed a different theory, alleging that Topuria's "high" financial demands were the actual impediment, implying the Georgian-Spanish star backed out of the fight.

Manager Malki Kawa Details the Talks

Topuria’s manager, Malki Kawa, recently shared his perspective on the "Anik & Florian" podcast. He recounted that on a Wednesday, the UFC team presented them with a choice between Justin Gaethje or Islam Makhachev for the White House main event, and they selected Makhachev.

(A tweet from Championship Rounds quoted Malki Kawa clarifying the situation: "Ilia Topuria's manager clarified the situation... He says that on Wednesday they were asked about fighting either Justin Gaethje or Islam Makhachev, but 'the number was so low' they didn't want anything to do with it.")

According to Kawa, the initial financial offer from the promotion was "so low" that they immediately rejected it, causing negotiations to stall. By Friday of the same week, he stated, the UFC returned with a new proposal centered on a fight with Gaethje for the White House event. This change occurred because Makhachev was now unavailable due to a hand injury.

Kawa emphasized that an Islam vs. Ilia fight "might be the biggest fight in UFC history" and maintained that he requested a "reasonable" purse, not an exorbitant "mega-figure" akin to boxing blockbusters. He framed the rejection of the initial offer as standard negotiation tactics, not an attempt to avoid the fight, arguing it would be "foolish" to accept terms that undervalued a champion-vs-champion spectacle.

The Injury Timeline and What’s Next

Dana White has publicly confirmed Makhachev's hand issues as the reason for his withdrawal from the June card, supporting earlier reports of a lingering ligament problem from previous bouts. Makhachev has posted training footage that has led some, like welterweight contender Ian Machado Garry, to question the severity of the injury and call for an August fight date, accusing the champion of mixed signals.

The situation appears less like either fighter "ducking" the other and more like high-stakes negotiations that ultimately failed to align. The UFC seemingly tried to pivot quickly from an initial lowball offer to a White House headliner. However, the timing coincided with Makhachev’s hand injury, and Topuria’s camp insisted on what they considered fair compensation for a champion-vs-champion clash. Both Malki Kawa, pushing for a larger payday, and Makhachev, publicly calling for significant fights across weight classes, have signaled their desire for this matchup under appropriate conditions, not a mutual avoidance.

(Islam Makhachev himself tweeted, offering a conflicting account to Dana White and Topuria's manager: "I’m tired of hearing made-up stories from Topuria and his team. I got the call and accepted the fight at the White House. The next day, I was told he asked for an unrealistic purse. The UFC declined, and he pulled out. That’s it nothing more to it. Even his manager confirmed it…")

For now, "Freedom 250" at the White House on June 14 will feature Ilia Topuria versus Justin Gaethje for the featherweight title. Fans await to see if the UFC can arrange Makhachev's return later in the year and revisit the Islam-Ilia superfight down the line.