Ilia Topuria says his first call about the UFC’s historic White House card was not about Justin Gaethje, but Islam Makhachev.
According to Topuria, the UFC initially offered him a fight with Makhachev for UFC Freedom 250, set for June 14 on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, before plans changed and he was booked against interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje in a title unification bout.
"It could happen, easily. Actually, it was about to happen," Topuria said, explaining that he believed Makhachev was locked in for the event. "Because before I got the confirmation fight against Justin, I was supposed to fight against Islam. Dana said he was about to make the announcements of the White House card. Myself, from the call I got from the UFC, I knew I was fighting Islam, because the first fight that they offered me was against Islam."
Topuria says that changed suddenly. "So, I went to sleep, and in the middle of the night, I get like, I don't know, hundred calls from the UFC like, 'Listen, he's injured and you're going to face Justin Gaethje.' So, hours before the announcement of the card, I was supposed to fight against Islam. That fight was this close to happening."
Makhachev and UFC CEO Dana White have denied that a Topuria vs. Makhachev matchup was close to being finalized, but Topuria remains optimistic: "I think it's gonna happen at some point," he said. "I hope so, at least. Hopefully it's going to happen at the end of the year. After this fight? Who knows, maybe we're gonna get that fight, finally."
