“El Matador” is ready to return.
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight champion Ilia Topuria has been sidelined since suffering his first professional loss against Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250 this past June (watch highlights).
According to UFC CEO Dana White, Topuria is now prepared to begin plotting his comeback.
“Our guys are always in touch with him — we don’t have him on the schedule right now, but Topuria is ready to fight, and we’re ready for him,” White told Jim Rome.
Rome then asked what’s more likely: a rematch with Gaethje or a massive fight with rival Paddy Pimblett.
“Both sound good to me,” White said. “They’re both great. We don’t lose with either one of those fights. They are both great fights; I don’t know. Obviously the rematch with Gaethje is incredible. A Paddy Pimblett fight is amazing — as bad as those two hate each other.”
An immediate championship rematch with Gaethje, however, makes considerably less sense.
Topuria did not have a successful Lightweight title defense before losing the belt, and the first fight was not remotely controversial. Gaethje battered the previously undefeated champion for four rounds and has already insisted Topuria must earn another title shot, arguing that Arman Tsarukyan is more deserving.