Ilia Topuria explains why he ‘hasn’t got the call’ for UFC White House fight with Justin Gaethje yet

Who do you want Justin Gaethje to fight next?

And when the American defeated Paddy Pimblett in January, while Topuria was able to return to full-time training, it all seemed to be falling perfectly. But after Dana White confirmed that the June 14 card has been made, the two-division champion says he has yet to be signed up officially.

Ilia Topuria explains why he has yet to get the call for UFC White House

Last night, reports emerged that there was an increasing unlikelihood that the UFC would be allowed to put Ilia Topuria vs Justin Gaethje as their main event for the White House. Respected insider Álvaro Colmenero is the source for headlines about the fight possibly not happening.

However, the crux of his point centers around the idea that President Donald Trump may not want a main event in which an American is almost guaranteed to be knocked out by a Hispanic fighter. While Colmonero likely heard this from inside sources, it remains speculative.

And Topuria dismissed the reports offhand in a recent stream with Adin Ross, but also noted that he has yet to receive a call from the UFC about the event. “Who said this?” He asked, before repeating Ross’ assertion that ‘it’s bulls—‘.

It is worth noting that two pay-per-view events scheduled for before the White House; UFC 327 in April and UFC 328 in May are sooner and still without headliners.

Asked who would be the main event, Topuria replied that: “It could be me, no one knows. That’s why I didn’t get any call, I could get the call now… I think that they have to figure out so many things and they have so many things going on right now.

“It’s not easy, it’s easy to judge these things when you’re outside but it’s hard to deal with so much things when you are in it and people don’t understand it.”