Topuria Ready To Fight After First UFC Loss

Former two-division UFC champion Ilia Topuria has recovered from the injuries that ended his unbeaten run and is ready to compete again.

UFC president Dana White confirmed the promotion has maintained regular contact with Topuria since his corner stopped his June fight with Justin Gaethje after four rounds. The Georgian-Spanish fighter recently returned to social media with a post declaring "we are back," signaling his readiness to book a return date.

Gaethje Rematch Or Pimblett Showdown For Topuria's Return

"Our guys are always in touch with them," White told The Jim Rome Show, per MMA Fighting. "We don't have him on the schedule right now. Listen, Topuria's ready to fight, we're ready for him."

White addressed two potential matchups for Topuria's comeback. The promotion could book an immediate rematch with Gaethje, who handed Topuria his first professional loss at UFC Freedom 250. Alternatively, a long-simmering feud with Paddy Pimblett could finally materialize. Pimblett has called for the fight repeatedly over the past two years, while Gaethje has shown little interest in giving Topuria another chance so soon.

"Both sound good to me," White said, according to Sherdog. "They're both great fights. Obviously the rematch with Gaethje is incredible and a Paddy Pimblett fight is amazing."

Topuria stayed largely silent in the months following the fourth-round stoppage, surfacing only briefly to congratulate Gaethje on Instagram. The UFC has not announced a target date for his return.

Photo: James English / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

Original reporting:

• mmafighting.com — Dana White: Ilia Topuria ‘ready to fight’ but no decision yet on potential opponents | MMA Fighting
• sherdog.com — Dana White says Ilia Topuria is ready to fight following first UFC loss