It has been nearly five months since Ilia Topuria’s undefeated run came crashing down against Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250. The Spaniard took so much damage that his corner had to stop the fight on the stool after the fourth round.
The former two-division champion suffered two broken orbital bones, a cracked septum, and a shattered foot. Despite the severity of his injuries, however, Topuria has returned to social media and is already back in training for his next outing.
Footage of him working on his striking with boxers like Lasha Guruli in his native Georgia has given fans a glimpse of his road to recovery. With a potential return targeted for early 2027, the former champion’s latest social media post suggests he is also getting back to his roots.
Ilia Topuria Sends Strong Message About UFC Return With Latest Update
Topuria took to Instagram to share pictures from the iconic Didgori Battle Memorial on Mount Didgori in Georgia. He captioned the post, “I returned to where it all began. Not to reminisce, but to remember. The Matador is coming back.”
In the pictures, Topuria can be seen posing and running up the hill’s stairs. The shots reminded many fans of Rocky Balboa’s iconic run up the steps in his hometown of Philadelphia.
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While the Spaniard has his sights set on an immediate rematch with Gaethje for the lightweight title, the 155lbs division has plenty of moving pieces at the moment. “The Highlight” has hinted at potentially hanging up his gloves, while Alexander Volkanovski and Arman Tsarukyan remain firmly in the title picture.
The Australian recently floated the idea of a retirement superfight against Gaethje and even entertained the possibility of facing Topuria again. Meanwhile, Tsarukyan has been the division’s clear No. 1 contender for quite some time and further strengthened his case with a win over Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331.
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Paddy Pimblett, on the other hand, has called out Topuria for a grudge match following a season of The Ultimate Fighter. The proposed matchup would finally settle their rivalry, which dates back to 2022.
With no official date or opponent confirmed for Topuria’s return, fans will have to wait a little longer for clarity. However, judging by his recent training footage and latest social media tease, it looks like The Matador could be back sooner rather than later.
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.
