UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria took to social media to blast Islam Makhachev and his manager following the fallout from the UFC White House card announcement, promising a brutal finish of interim champion Justin Gaethje on June 14.
In a lengthy post on X, Topuria claimed he always knew he'd be part of the historic White House event — even when the UFC initially told him he wouldn't be included — calling it part of the negotiation process. He alleged that he had verbally accepted a fight against Islam Makhachev before the card was announced, only to wake up the next morning and learn that Islam had pulled out citing injury.
UFC president Dana White subsequently denied that a Topuria vs. Makhachev superfight was ever officially booked for the event, stating the matchup "was never in the works" and that Makhachev is currently nursing a hand injury. White also confirmed that Topuria himself was not originally scheduled to appear on the card.
With Makhachev out of the picture, the UFC turned to interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje — who secured the interim belt with a unanimous decision win over Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324 — to headline the Freedom Fights 250 event opposite Topuria. The card is set for June 14 on the South Lawn of the White House, coinciding with the U.S. 250th anniversary and President Donald Trump's 80th birthday.
Topuria didn't mince words about both parties in his post, calling out the managers of Makhachev and Gaethje before turning his attention directly to "The Highlight": "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."
Topuria enters the unification bout with an undefeated 17-0 record and captured the lightweight title with a first-round KO of Charles Oliveira at UFC 317.