Topuria breaks silence on Gaethje upset loss and targets Paddy Pimblett for April return

Ilia Topuria has broken his months-long silence over his shock defeat to Justin Gaethje, admitting it was “the worst day” of his career while targeting Paddy Pimblett for a return fight from April 2027 onward.

Topuria, who entered UFC White House in June as a heavy favourite to defend his lightweight title, was stopped in his corner at the end of the fourth round — one of the most significant upsets of the year. The loss ended any immediate prospect of Topuria pursuing triple-champion status by moving up to challenge Islam Makhachev for the welterweight title.

In a preview clip released Thursday by ABC Diario ahead of a full interview, Topuria reflected candidly on the psychological toll of the defeat. “I’ve been in the worst situation a fighter can possibly be in,” he said. “I’ve experienced the worst day of my career. What’s worse than that? Dying?”

Topuria acknowledged spending the past five or six months wrestling with questions about his performance, but said he has ultimately made peace with the result. “You either win or you lose; and I lost,” he said. “If I wake up in the morning and look in the mirror and it was like, ‘No, no, no, no, no, this is not me.’” The former two-division champion appears to have drawn a line under the defeat rather than seeking excuses.

Earlier this week, UFC CEO Dana White confirmed the promotion was planning for Topuria’s return in early 2027, and the fighter himself echoed that timeline. “From April onward is when we are considering returning,” Topuria said, promising a sharper version of himself. “Like you have never seen him before.”

Despite the forward-looking tone, Topuria also raised the possibility of retirement, suggesting his ambitions may be nearing their natural end. “I’ve achieved everything, and after this fight, what else? Maybe I’ll even retire,” he said — though the comment appeared to be a longer-term consideration rather than an imminent decision.

For the comeback itself, Topuria has a specific opponent in mind: Paddy Pimblett, a long-standing rival. “Paddy, Paddy, Paddy,” Topuria said. “I’ll eat him like a sausage, which he is.” Pimblett has not yet publicly responded to the callout.