Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White.
The former two-division champion has not competed since his first pro loss Justin Gaethje at
UFC Freedom 250 in June. Gaethje won the lightweight title after Topuria’s corner stopped the fight before the fifth round.
Dana White says the UFC is working on Ilia Topuria’s comeback after his first loss to Justin Gaethje
Speaking on “The Jim Rome Show,” White said the promotion worked for Topuria’s comeback.
“In ’27,” White said when asked about Topuria’s next performance. “He will come back early (2027) and we are working on that too.”
White declined to name a potential opponent, but praised the depth of the lightweight division.
“This whole lightweight division — you’ve got (Justin) Gaethje, Topuria, Arman Tsarukyan(Charles) Oliveira, Paddy Pimblett(Max) Holloway, the entire top 10 are straight up killers. This is the best and worst division right now,” he said.
Topuria recently signaled his intention to return in a social media post, declaring, “Matador is coming back.” No date or opponent has been announced.
“He’ll be back in ’27. We’re working on that, too.” @DanaWhite confirms Ilia Topuria will return to the #UFC next year. https://t.co/tbRDbrnMo4
– Jim Rome (@jimrome)
November 4, 2026
