Ilia Topuria Claims Islam Makhachev Fight Was Offered Before Justin Gaethje Switch
Ilia Topuria has revealed that Justin Gaethje was not the first opponent he expected to face.
According to Topuria, before his fight with Gaethje was confirmed, the UFC had originally offered him a matchup with Islam Makhachev. Topuria said he believed the announcement was close and that UFC CEO Dana White was preparing to reveal the White House card.
“Before I got the confirmation to fight Justin, I was supposed to fight Islam,” Topuria said. “Dana said he was supposed to make the announcements of the White House card.”
For Topuria, the first call from the UFC made one thing clear in his mind: he was fighting Islam.
Topuria Says Islam Was the First Fight Offered
Topuria explained that the original plan was a fight with Makhachev.
“From the call I got from the UFC, I knew that I was fighting Islam,” Topuria said. “The first fight they offered me was against Islam.”
That would have been one of the biggest matchups in modern UFC history. Topuria and Makhachev have both been linked through fan debates, title talk, and stylistic questions. A fight between them would have carried major stakes because of their skill sets, confidence, and championship-level status.
Topuria is known for sharp boxing, power, pressure, and self-belief. Islam is known for control, grappling, composure, and elite fight IQ. That contrast alone would have made the matchup massive.
But according to Topuria, things changed quickly.
He said he went to sleep believing Islam was the opponent, then woke up to a completely different situation.
“So I went to sleep, and middle of the night I got 100 calls from the UFC saying Islam is injured, you’re gonna face Justin Gaethje,” Topuria said.
Once the Islam fight fell through, Justin Gaethje became the new name.
That is still a huge fight.
Gaethje brings experience, pressure, leg kicks, power, and one of the most respected reputations in the sport. He is not the same style of challenge as Islam, but he is dangerous in a completely different way.
Islam would have tested Topuria’s grappling defense, control, and patience. Gaethje tests his toughness, striking discipline, and ability to handle chaos.
For Topuria, the opponent changed, but the stage stayed big.
That is why this story adds more intrigue to the buildup. Fans now know that, according to Topuria, the road to Gaethje was not the original plan. It was a sudden switch after the UFC first offered him Islam.
Ilia Topuria’s comments add a major twist to the UFC White House storyline.
He says the first fight offered to him was Islam Makhachev, and he believed that was the matchup the UFC was preparing to announce. But after a late-night call, Topuria says he was told Islam was injured and that Justin Gaethje would be the new opponent.
The Islam fight would have been huge.
But Gaethje is still a dangerous, high-profile challenge.
For Topuria, the mission remains the same: win the fight, steal the spotlight, and keep building his legacy.
