Malki Kawa, manager of Georgian UFC star Ilia Topuria, has spoken out about the collapse of a potential title fight against Islam Makhachev, pushing back against claims over excessive financial demands.
As reported by Idman.Biz, the highly anticipated clash between Topuria and Makhachev had been linked to the upcoming UFC event at the White House in June. However, Makhachev previously suggested that negotiations fell through due to Topuria’s alleged high purse expectations.
Kawa rejected that version of events, stating that a fight of such magnitude would naturally warrant one of the biggest paydays in UFC history. He stressed that his client did not request extreme figures such as 100 million or even 50 million dollars, describing the financial terms as reasonable given the scale and potential global interest in the bout.
The matchup between Topuria and Makhachev had been widely viewed as one of the most compelling possible title fights in the lightweight division, potentially drawing record attention. Its collapse has shifted the narrative around the June 15 card in Washington.
Instead, Topuria is now set to face American contender Justin Gaethje in a lightweight title bout at the same event, keeping him in the spotlight as one of the division’s leading figures. The card itself is expected to be historic, with the UFC aiming to stage one of its most high-profile events in an iconic location.
