Outside Source
Topuria (17-1) was a massive favorite going into his Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight title unification bout against Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250. However, Gaethje pulled off the upset, leaving “El Matador” bloodied up and struggling to see.
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This forced his corner to stop the fight after the fourth round. Topuria was seen trying to cover his face as he left the Octagon with his brother, Aleksandre Topuria, by his side.
Ilia Topuria is in good spirits and healing fast
Apart from suffering the first loss of his professional career, Topuria repeatedly predicted a first-round knockout win and celebrated a day before fight night, adding to the weight of the defeat. Nevertheless, he’s in high spirits less than a month after his loss to Gaethje, and he’s healed considerably.
The former two-division champ was recently seen rejoicing with his team. While Topuria’s nose still appears swollen, the bruising around his eyes and the cuts he sustained during the fight appear to have healed.
“Day by day, he already looks like an entirely different person,” His trainer, Jesus Gallo, told SerEbro EnlosDeportes. “Obviously, he still feels discomfort, but it doesn’t seem like he’s had any fights, really. All the swelling in his face has gone down. All the bruising he had has gone down.”
Coach reveals Topuria-Gaethje rematch could happen in 2026
Gallo further revealed Topuria’s recovery timeline and when he might return. “I think we’re talking about at least two to three months, easily. If you saw us in a rematch or in a fight, it would be toward the end of the year, in December. Who knows? We’ll see.”
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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