Topuria ready to return after Gaethje loss but UFC yet to settle on next opponent

Ilia Topuria is cleared to compete and pushing for his next fight, UFC CEO Dana White confirmed, though no opponent has been finalised for the former two-division champion as he looks to rebound from his first professional loss.

Topuria was stopped by his corner after the fourth round of his lightweight title fight against Justin Gaethje at the UFC White House card in June, absorbing significant damage throughout the contest. He spent the following months largely off social media before re-emerging recently with a post declaring “we are back.”

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

Two options have emerged as the leading candidates for Topuria’s comeback. The most obvious is an immediate rematch with Gaethje, a fight White described as “incredible” given the quality of their first encounter. However, Gaethje has publicly shown little appetite for a quick turnaround, suggesting he sees no obligation to give Topuria another shot so soon after a convincing win.

The second option is a long-mooted showdown with Paddy Pimblett, who has been calling for the fight for several years. The mutual animosity between the two fighters adds an extra layer of intrigue to that matchup.

White made clear the UFC is comfortable with either direction. “Both sound good to me,” he said. “They’re both great. We don’t lose with either one of those fights. They’re both great fights. Obviously the rematch with Gaethje is incredible. A Paddy Pimblett fight is amazing as bad as those two hate each other.”

Despite no longer holding a belt, Topuria remains one of the UFC’s most marketable names, and White’s comments suggest the promotion is in no rush to force a decision — content to let the options develop while Topuria completes his recovery.