After months of speculation, the UFC finally revealed the full lineup for its highly anticipated Freedom 250 card on the South Lawn of the White House. In the main event, lightweight champion Ilia Topuria returns to the Octagon to unify his title against interim champion Justin Gaethje. The matchup between two of the division’s most dangerous knockout artists has generated plenty of excitement ahead of June 14. However, a section of the MMA community had anticipated an even bigger clash, with Topuria facing former lightweight champion and current welterweight kingpin Islam Makhachev.
Fueling that speculation, several Spanish media outlets reported that the original plan for the White House card was a showdown between Topuria and Makhachev, claiming the fight was scrapped at the last minute. Dana White later addressed those rumors, stating that Makhachev is currently sidelined with a hand injury and that Topuria was added to the card very late, leaving no room for negotiations between the two. Topuria, however, doesn’t appear convinced. The Spanish champion took to social media with a fiery response, blasting the Dagestani and questioning the circumstances surrounding the rumored matchup. Now, Makhachev has fired back in his own style.
Ilia Topuria Accuses Islam Makhachev of Ducking As Dagestani Fires Back With Chilling Warning
It’s safe to say that Ilia Topuria isn’t showing any mercy toward Islam Makhachev over the collapse of their potential showdown. The Spaniard has previously described the matchup as the biggest fight in UFC history, so missing out on the opportunity has clearly left him frustrated.
Taking to X, Topuria dismissed the idea that Makhachev’s hand injury prevented the fight from happening, instead accusing the Dagestani champion of avoiding him altogether.
He wrote, “Once again, Islam comes up with an excuse. This time it’s an injury. 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. 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.”
Topuria went on to claim that Makhachev had been discussed as a possible opponent for the White House event. However, he says he learned around the same time as the public that he would instead be facing Justin Gaethje.
He then added, “Even though the fight hadn’t been officially confirmed yet, the White House card was going to be announced the next day. And when I woke, I found out that Islam had gotten injured. And then Justin Gaethje appeared. Once again, someone else who will pay for Islam’s escape. Both of their manager is a bitch and also ugly as hell.”
Once again Islam comes up with an excuse. This time it’s an injury.
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.
When they finally told me I…— Ilia Topuria (@Topuriailia) March 10, 2026
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Topuria also had a warning for Gaethje, who is also managed by Ali Abdelaziz. The reigning lightweight kingpin suggested their clash at the White House will end decisively in his favor. The 155lbs kingpin wrote, “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.”
Just hours later, Makhachev also took to X to fire back, accusing Topuria of demanding astronomical sums to face the 170-pound champion. He also warned that the Spaniard would eventually get the fight he’s been calling for.
He wrote, “We both know who chickened out here. You can your cowardice with nasty tweets, but don’t worry, one day you will get what you asked for! and your fat ass manager don’t have to ask for billions to fight me, we’ll do it for free.”
We both know who chickened out here 😉 you can cover your cowardice with nasty tweets, but don’t worry, one day you will get what you asked for! and your fat ass manager don’t have to ask for billions to fight me, we’ll do it for free. https://t.co/PTCJxG0gTv
— Makhachev Islam (@MAKHACHEVMMA) March 10, 2026
As fans know, Topuria and Makhachev have been on a collision course for years. The matchup nearly materialized when Topuria vacated his featherweight title last year and announced his intention to move up to lightweight in pursuit of the 155-pound belt.
However, circumstances in the welterweight division altered the landscape. After Belal Muhammad lost the 170-pound title to Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315, Makhachev shifted his focus toward chasing a second championship and moved up in weight.
Meanwhile, Topuria went on to capture the vacant lightweight title in emphatic fashion, scoring a brutal knockout victory over Charles Oliveira at UFC 317. Makhachev, on the other hand, completed his own two-division quest later that year, becoming the welterweight champion by dethroning Della Maddalena at UFC 322.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.