Ilia Topuria says Islam Makhachev fight ‘has to happen’ but is not ‘under my control’

Topuria returns to face Justin Gaethje on June 11th, but insists the fight with Islam Makhachev is the one that truly matters to him.

The champion stated the bout is a "must-make" for the UFC, though he deferred to the promotion's decision-making process. He denied accusations of pricing himself out of the matchup and emphasized his focus remains on the Gaethje fight and achieving the "triple crown."