Topuria's coach targets December return after Gaethje stoppage loss

Ilia Topuria is on course for a December comeback after suffering the first loss of his professional career, with his trainer Jesus Gallo indicating a rematch against Justin Gaethje could materialise before the end of 2026.

Topuria (17-1) entered UFC Freedom 250 as a heavy favourite to unify the lightweight title, but Gaethje pulled off a significant upset, leaving “El Matador” bloodied and struggling to see before his corner stopped the contest after the fourth round. The defeat was compounded by Topuria’s pre-fight confidence — he had repeatedly predicted a first-round knockout and celebrated publicly the night before the bout.

Less than a month on, however, his camp reports a swift physical recovery. “Day by day, he already looks like an entirely different person,” Gallo told SerEbro EnlosDeportes. “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. All the bruising he had has gone down.”

Topuria was seen leaving the Octagon after the stoppage with his brother Aleksandre at his side, his face visibly marked from the fight. Recent footage from his team shows his spirits have lifted considerably, though some swelling around his nose remains visible.

On the question of a return date, Gallo was cautiously optimistic. “I think we’re talking about at least two to three months, easily,” he said. “If you saw us in a rematch or in a fight, it would be toward the end of the year, in December. Who knows? We’ll see.”

The loss ended Topuria’s run as a two-division champion and handed Gaethje a landmark upset victory. Whether the UFC moves quickly to book a rematch or routes one of the fighters in a different direction remains to be seen, but Gallo’s comments suggest Topuria’s camp is already eyeing a swift return to title contention.