Ilia Topuria coach targets December return after Gaethje loss

Ilia Topuria could return to the Octagon by December after suffering the first loss of his professional career, according to his trainer Jesus Gallo.

The former two-division champion was stopped on his stool after four rounds against Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250, where facial swelling forced his corner to wave off the lightweight title unification bout. Less than a month later, Gallo told SerEbro EnlosDeportes that his fighter has healed considerably and could be ready for a year-end rematch.

Topuria healing faster than expected after corner stoppage

Gallo said the bruising and cuts from the Gaethje fight have cleared up, though some nasal swelling remains. "Day by day, he already looks like an entirely different person," he said, per Sherdog. "Obviously, he still feels discomfort, but it doesn't seem like he's had any fights, really. All the swelling in his face has gone down."

Topuria entered UFC Freedom 250 as a heavy favourite and predicted a first-round knockout. Instead, Gaethje bloodied him across four rounds, leaving the Georgian-Spaniard unable to see clearly by the time his brother Aleksandre helped him from the cage.

Gallo mapped out a two-to-three-month recovery window before Topuria resumes full training. "If you saw us in a rematch or in a fight, it would be toward the end of the year, in December," he said. "Who knows? We'll see."

Original reporting:

• sherdog.com — Ilia Topuria’s coach shares potential timeline for Justin Gaethje rematch