Outside Source
Interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje will fight the champion Ilia Topuria in the main event at the UFC White House card, also billed as Freedom Fights 250, on June 14. According to the latest rumors, the original plan was for Topuria to challenge Islam Makhachev for the welterweight title in the main event.
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Irati Prat of Marca reported that the UFC received information at the last minute that Makhachev wouldn’t fight at the White House. Prat notes that Dana White had mentioned a fight falling through, and UFC matchmakers suddenly had long faces at the UFC 326 ceremonial weigh-ins amid hushed whispers. Prat further noted that even Gaethje acknowledged that he was originally told that he would not fight at the White House.
“On Friday night, it was announced that Islam would NOT fight. Dana White’s comments about a fight falling through and long faces at the ceremonial weigh-in,” Prati wrote on social media (via Google Translate). “There’s an agreement: Makhachev vs. Topuria. It’s going to happen. At this point, Gaethje wasn’t going to fight. On Sunday, he acknowledged this timing.
“Makhachev vs. Topuria at welterweight is the plan for [the White House]. It’s the fight Ilia wanted, the one that motivates him. Negotiations didn’t begin until last week. Ali Abdelaziz tweeted that the UFC is planning the biggest fight possible.”
Hay acuerdo: Makhachev vs Topuria. Va a ocurrir
A estas alturas, Gaethje no iba a pelear. El domingo reconoce este timing
El viernes por la noche, se comunica que Islam NO va a pelear. Palabras de Dana sobre que se ha caído una pelea y caras largas en el pesaje ceremonial pic.twitter.com/C1e7b1lSLP
— Irati Prat (@IratiPratSC) March 8, 2026
Makhachev vs Topuria en peso welter es el plan para Casa Blanca. Es la pelea que Ilia quería, la que le motiva.
Las negociaciones no se activan hasta la semana pasada
Ali Abdelaziz lanza un tuit diciendo que UFC planea la pelea más grande posible pic.twitter.com/hrsfI9h01C
— Irati Prat (@IratiPratSC) March 8, 2026
Quick Pivot
Gaethje revealed that a couple of days ago, it was confirmed that he would not be on the White House card. However, a day before the final announcement of the card, Gaethje was told that there was chance of him fighting at the White House.
“Two days ago I got a call and they said, ‘You’re definitely not fighting at the White House card’… And then yesterday I got a call and they said, ‘You might hear something. You might be on the White House card,” Gaethje said.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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