TLDR
- Malki Kawa denied that Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria was ever finalized for the White House card
- UFC offered Topuria a choice between Islam Makhachev and Justin Gaethje, but no agreement was reached with either fighter until Friday night
- Negotiations happened between midnight Friday and 11:30 AM Saturday morning, less than 24 hours before the card announcement
- Dana White stated Islam Makhachev was never booked and is currently injured
- Justin Gaethje also confirmed he received last-minute confirmation on Saturday night about his inclusion on the card
Sources: yardbarker.com | talksport.com
Ilia Topuria’s manager has cleared up confusion about whether Islam Makhachev was ever scheduled to fight at the UFC’s White House event on June 14. Malki Kawa explained the behind-the-scenes negotiations during an appearance on the Anik & Florian podcast on Monday.
The controversy started when Dana White claimed on Friday that one fight from the White House card had been canceled. A day later, the full card was announced with Topuria fighting Justin Gaethje in the main event.
A report from MMA Marca’s Irati Prat claimed Islam Makhachev was initially set to face Topuria before the fight fell apart. Dana White denied this claim during the Zuffa Boxing 4 post-fight press conference on Sunday, saying the fight was never booked and that Islam is injured.
Ilia Topuria says Justin Gaethje will "pay for Islam's escape" 😳
"Once again, someone else who will pay for Islam’s escape. Both of their manager is a b*tch and also ugly as hell. Justin, see you at the White House. I’m not someone who humiliates people. It will be quick. When… https://t.co/vH5sncaEVQ pic.twitter.com/RSvPwx5Ski
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) March 10, 2026
Manager Explains Last-Minute Negotiations
Kawa said the UFC told Topuria’s team earlier in the week that he would not be on the card. Then on Friday, they received a call asking if they wanted to fight either Islam Makhachev or Justin Gaethje.
“We were focused on getting an Islam fight,” Kawa explained. “When you hear Dana say, ‘Well, that was never a fight,’ it was because it was talked about, but there was no agreement to fight anybody.”
Kawa said the UFC approached them on Wednesday with potential opponents and numbers. His team rejected the initial offer and heard nothing back until Friday night.
“Friday night early, I went to bed thinking we’re not on the card,” Kawa said. “Literally 12 midnight till almost 11:00, 11:30 the next morning, it was just non-stop negotiating between me, Hunter, and Topuria.”
Kawa told UFC executive Hunter Campbell that if they didn’t intend to add Topuria to the card, he would leave for Spain. This would have made future negotiations much more difficult if the UFC changed its mind.
The Fight Was Never a Done Deal
Kawa firmly rejected reports that an Islam Makhachev fight was finalized and then canceled. “I don’t know which fight fell apart,” he said. “That fight wasn’t something that was a done deal, and then it fell apart, and Gaethje stepped in.”
The UFC gave Topuria’s team a choice between both fighters. Kawa said they agreed to both Islam and Gaethje, but the final decision came down to money and contract terms.
Justin Gaethje experienced similar uncertainty about his inclusion on the card. He initially received word that he wouldn’t be part of the event, but later got a call saying he might be included. Gaethje told After Last Fight that he received final confirmation from the UFC on Saturday night.
The matchmakers spoke with many fighters during the planning process before settling on the final lineup. This doesn’t mean everyone contacted was guaranteed a spot on the card.
Jon Jones was also discussed as a potential fighter for the White House card. Dana White said Jones was never scheduled to appear, though matchmakers did speak with him about a possible fight against Alex Pereira. Ciryl Gane was ultimately chosen instead.
Ariel Helwani reported that the UFC wanted Jones on the card but couldn’t reach a financial agreement. The specific fight that Dana White mentioned as being canceled remains unknown, as he refused to discuss it further.
Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman believes the White House card is missing bigger stars. He told The Bohnfire podcast with MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn that the historic setting deserves names like Jon Jones and Conor McGregor at the top of the card.
