Justin Gaethje reveals his side of Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev’s UFC White House dispute

Justin Gaethje could have been the odd man out – but has ended up as the big winner in the UFC White House main event race.

After winning the interim title against Paddy Pimblett back in January, it seemed that the beloved veteran was on his way to a massive unification. However, the fight that fans were pushing for was an inter-divisional clash between two-weight champions Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev.

Ultimately, Duelbits ambassador Gaethje stayed the course and when it became clear that the Makhachev fight wasn’t happening, he was picked to headline. He learned about the decision while cageside watching the announcement at UFC 326.

Justin Gaethje reveals his side of the UFC White House main event story

Interestingly, Islam Makhachev and Justin Gaethje share a manager in the former fighter Ali Abdelaziz, who runs Dominance MMA. Speaking with Bloody Elbow via Duelbits, Gaethje explained what he was hearing from his team during the matchmaking process.

“From my side, it’s pretty simple,” Gaethje noted. “I stay ready. That’s always been my approach. There’s always a lot of noise around fights at this level. Different conversations, different timelines, things that people say publicly, but not everything you hear reflects what’s actually happening behind the scenes.

“What I can control is my preparation and my willingness to step in when the opportunity is there. And when this fight came together, I didn’t hesitate. In this sport, things change quickly. Fights fall through, situations evolve, and you need guys who are ready to step up.

“That’s what I’ve always done throughout my career. So, for me, it’s just another opportunity to go out there, perform at the highest level and enjoy.

“Ali has been in this game for so long, so his message is always clear: ‘Stay ready and stay patient!’ There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to putting these fights together, and he understands that better than most.

“He kept me focused on what I can control, trusting the process and making sure that when the opportunity showed up, I was ready.