Fans have been eagerly waiting for Ilia Topuria to return to the Octagon. As things stand, it has been nearly five months since the Spaniard was stopped at UFC Freedom 250 in June. The former two-division champion took so much damage that his corner had to pull him out of the fight on the stool after the fourth round.
Topuria suffered two broken orbital bones, a cracked septum, and a shattered foot. However, despite the severity of his injuries, he has already returned to social media and resumed training ahead of his next outing.
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Footage of him working on his striking alongside boxers like Lasha Guruli in his native Georgia has given fans a glimpse of his recovery. More recently, he even visited the iconic Didgori Battle Memorial on Mount Didgori, a site that stands as a symbol of Georgian resilience and victory.
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Amid all this, Dana White has finally offered an update on Topuria’s potential UFC return. During a recent appearance on The Jim Rome Show, the UFC CEO told the host that the former champion could be back in early 2027.
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He said, “In 2027. He’ll come back in early 2027. We’re working on that, too. That entire lightweight division, you’ve got Gaethje, Topuria, Arman Tsarukyan, Oliveira, Paddy Pimblett, Holloway. The whole top 10 is straight killers and the most badass division we have right now.”
While White didn’t reveal who could welcome the Spaniard back to the Octagon, Topuria’s camp has been pushing for an immediate rematch with Justin Gaethje for the lightweight title.
However, with the American’s future still uncertain, Gaethje could potentially vacate the belt. If that happens, Topuria could find himself facing Arman Tsarukyan for the vacant gold.
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Paddy Pimblett is another name in the mix. The Englishman has called out Topuria for a grudge match by suggesting a season of The Ultimate Fighter. The proposed matchup would finally settle their long-running rivalry, which dates back to 2022.
With White pointing toward early 2027, fans could potentially see Topuria make his return at UFC 337, UFC 338, or UFC 339. Those events are expected to take place in February, March, and April 2027, respectively.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
