Islam Makhachev has fired back at Ilia Topuria after the lightweight champion suggested he ducked a potential showdown on the upcoming UFC White House card.
The exchange has quickly turned into one of the most heated rivalries in the sport.
With the historic event approaching, both champions appear determined to settle the argument inside the Octagon.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Islam Makhachev on X responded angrily after Topuria suggested he avoided fighting him on the upcoming UFC White House card.
"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 a__ manager don't have to ask for billions to fight me, we'll do it for free," Makhachev wrote.
The message came after Topuria publicly accused Makhachev of avoiding a potential super fight between the two champions.
Talk of the matchup intensified when rumors circulated that the UFC had explored booking them to headline the historic White House card. The rivalry has only grown louder after both fighters began exchanging comments online.
The tension began when Topuria revealed he had chosen Makhachev as his preferred opponent for the UFC White House event scheduled for June 14 as part of the United States' 250th anniversary celebrations.
The lightweight champion was reportedly open to moving up a division in order to challenge Makhachev and attempt to become the first fighter to win titles in three weight classes.
However, the fight never materialized after Makhachev informed officials that a hand injury would prevent him from competing on the card.
Instead, the White House event is now expected to feature Topuria defending his title against Justin Gaethje after several late changes to the lineup.
The collapse of the rumored superfight sparked Topuria's criticism and ultimately triggered Makhachev's sharp response on social media.
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