Ilia Topuria to Headline UFC Event at the White House
Ilia Topuria is set to headline a historic UFC event at the White House on June 14, where he will unify belts with interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje. Topuria’s manager, Malki Kawa, disclosed on Monday that the agreement was finalized just hours before the announcement during the UFC 326 broadcast on CBS.
Jon Jones’ Involvement in the Event
Kawa, who also manages Jon Jones—a former UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight champion—indicated that Jones had expressed a desire to be on the card against Alex Pereira. However, Pereira will instead face Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title in the co-main event. UFC CEO Dana White stated that Jones was “never, ever, ever” going to headline the UFC White House card.
Negotiations with the UFC
On the Anik & Florian Podcast, Kawa revealed that there had been discussions with the promotion regarding the event. He mentioned, “I don’t know if that’s true because there was a negotiation there as well, but it just kind of didn’t go anywhere after a while.”
Details of the Negotiations
Describing the negotiations, Kawa noted, “On Wednesday, I was asked about our interest in participating, and we expressed willingness. However, the financial offers did not meet our expectations. After that, we didn’t hear anything further, indicating no active negotiations were happening.”
Topuria’s Potential Participation
Kawa had previously communicated with UFC’s chief business officer Hunter Campbell about Topuria’s participation in the event. He warned that if no offer was made soon, it would be “way more costly” to bring Topuria back from Spain. Ultimately, this situation helped in securing a better deal for the Topuria vs. Gaethje match.
Clarifying the Makhachev Situation
Additionally, Kawa disputed rumors surrounding a last-minute cancellation of a potential fight between Topuria and Islam Makhachev. He confirmed that they were open to facing either fighter, but Makhachev is currently dealing with an injury.
Finalizing the Deal
Kawa had a cardiac procedure on Thursday, which delayed discussions with the UFC. He managed to reconnect with Campbell late Friday night, and negotiations continued until 11:00 AM on Saturday, when they agreed on all terms for the upcoming fight against Gaethje.
