It has been over two months since Ilia Topuria’s undefeated run came crashing down against Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250. The Spaniard was beaten up so badly that his corner had to call it quits on the stool after the fourth round. To make matters worse, the former champion walked away with some serious injuries, including double orbital bone fractures and multiple cuts to his face.
Topuria has since handled the loss with plenty of humility, but his confidence heading into the fight made him an easy target for post-fight criticism. Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan were among those who took shots at the former champion, and it looks like Tsarukyan isn’t quite done yet.
There is still no word on when Topuria will be ready to return to the Octagon, but Tsarukyan has already suggested a rather sarcastic opponent for his comeback. During an interview on the UFC on Paramount+ YouTube channel, Tsarukyan was asked where Topuria fits into the 155-pound title picture after losing his belt.
Rather than naming a top contender or someone inside the lightweight top five, the Armenian suggested Michael Chandler as the perfect comeback opponent. He said, “He’s still recovering and probably next for him is a fight with Michael Chandler and then come back and fight for the title.”
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Tsarukyan doubled down on the suggestion, adding, “Who else? After this fight, he needs someone easy, an easy fight, and then after that fight come and fight again.”
The comments are clearly a dig at Topuria, who was on an incredible run before running into Gaethje. “El Matador” had already captured UFC gold at featherweight and lightweight while putting together knockout wins over Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira. There was even talk of him moving up to welterweight to challenge Islam Makhachev for a third UFC title.
Instead, that dream run came to an abrupt end on June 14 against Gaethje. Still, a fight with Chandler hardly makes sense on paper. The 40-year-old veteran has now lost four straight, including knockout defeats to Mauricio Ruffy and Paddy Pimblett in his last two outings.
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If Topuria is healthy enough to return, fans would probably rather see him matched up with someone like Pimblett or, perhaps, even Tsarukyan himself. For now, though, Topuria’s return remains a mystery.
The Spaniard was recently spotted celebrating Spain’s FIFA World Cup win and hanging out in Miami with Ferran Torres. His face appears to have healed considerably, but there is still no clear timeline for when “El Matador” will make his way back to the Octagon.
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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.
