After the beating Ilia Topuria endured at the hands of Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250, it’s fair to wonder if “El Matador” will ever be quite the same again. For the unversed, the Spaniard suffered two broken orbital bones, a shattered septum, and a broken foot as he lost his undisputed lightweight title on June 14.
A few days ago, Topuria finally returned to the public eye and broke his silence with a nine-part essay on his website. He detailed his physical condition in the aftermath of the fight while also giving fans a glimpse into his mental state. Topuria admitted that he couldn’t even look at himself in the mirror the day after his loss to Gaethje.
With that in mind, fans have naturally wondered whether Topuria should face another top-tier 155-pounder when he returns or take on a slightly easier opponent to ease himself back into action. However, it appears the Spaniard has his sights firmly set on a rematch with Gaethje. Dana White recently confirmed that Topuria is already looking to plot his return.
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The UFC CEO also weighed in on the possibility of a rematch with Gaethje or a grudge match against Paddy Pimblett, making it clear that he would be happy with either matchup. However, Topuria’s manager, Malki Kawa, appears to have ruled out a fight against ‘The Baddy’, revealing that their focus is solely on getting another shot at Gaethje.
Kawa shared a video to his Instagram Story of White expressing his interest in a Topuria-Pimblett fight, saying the matchup could headline a numbered event despite not being for a title because of the intense bad blood between the two. “We want the get back 1000%,” Kawa captioned the video.
It’s understandable that Topuria wants to avenge the first and only loss of his MMA career. However, Gaethje has already made it clear that he has no interest in giving Topuria an immediate rematch. The lightweight contender is also expected to sit out the rest of 2026 after fighting Pimblett in January and Topuria in June.
That leaves Topuria with a clear target, but not necessarily an opponent willing to share the Octagon with him anytime soon. It will be interesting to see how the situation plays out and whether the UFC can eventually make the rematch happen.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
