Ilia Topuria opens up on loss to Justin Gaethje, calls for Paddy Pimblett in April
UFC fighter Ilia Topuria is discussing his recent loss to Justin Gaethje and his plans for a return to the octagon in 2027. Despite the setback, Topuria remains focused on his comeback and potential future retirement.
Why it matters
Provides insight into the psychological recovery of elite athletes following major career defeats.
Ilia Topuria finally lost a fight, and that has set him free to be better than ever.
In June, Topuria defended his lightweight title against Justin Gaethje in the main event of UFC White House. Topuria was a heavy favorite, and he won; it was widely anticipated that “El Matador” would get the rare opportunity to pursue triple-champ status by moving up to challenge Islam Makhachev for the welterweight title. Instead, Gaethje scored one of the upsets of the year, battering Topuria to a corner stoppage at the end of the fourth round.
Since the loss, Topuria has mostly kept quiet, but earlier this week, UFC CEO Dana White revealed that the promotion was planning for Topuria’s return in early 2027, and with his comeback now on the horizon, Topuria has begun making the media rounds again.
Also covering this story
One other newsroom covered this event. We read that version too.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in