Overview
- Ian Machado Garry publicly accused Islam Makhachev of faking a hand injury and said the champion does not want to fight him.
- Dana White has acknowledged Makhachev is dealing with hand issues, and a proposed Ilia Topuria matchup for the White House card did not materialize as Topuria was instead booked versus Justin Gaethje.
- Makhachev’s manager Ali Abdelaziz dismissed Garry’s standing and said he was pursuing a different big fight, while reports have also kept Kamaru Usman and Michael Morales in the conversation.
- UFC Espanol’s Jacque Enriquez claimed Michael Morales is being lined up for a July 11 title fight in Las Vegas, a report that remains unconfirmed by the UFC.
- Criticism of Makhachev’s activity persists after one fight in 2024 and two in 2025, and new speculation includes Colby Covington’s unverified claim that money demands scuttled a Topuria bout.