Ilia Topuria will be ready to fight again starting in February 2027, according to his physical trainer Jesús Gallo, putting a date on a comeback Dana White said last week was already within reach.
Spanish MMA journalist Álvaro Colmenero, who runs the ABC MMA section at Spanish newspaper ABC, shared the update on X on Wednesday. Colmenero said Gallo told him Topuria is gradually returning to training in Miami and that “he’ll be ready to fight starting from February.” The full interview is set to run on ABC and Colmenero’s KOlmenero YouTube channel.
A Timeline That Matches The Suspension
The February target settles what looked like mixed messages. Speaking to Jim Rome on September 9, White said “Topuria is ready to fight, we’re ready for him,” and named a Justin Gaethje rematch and a Paddy Pimblett fight as two options he likes.
Gallo pushed back days later on the SerEbro En Los Deportes channel. “That’s news to me. I don’t know what he is referring to or what information he’s using to make that kind of announcement,” he said. “He’s really progressing incredibly well, but we haven’t started a real training camp yet. We haven’t even truly begun any kind of MMA training yet.”
The calendar explains the gap. Topuria suffered non-displaced fractures to both orbital bones and a broken nose before his corner stopped his UFC Freedom 250 title fight with Gaethje after the fourth round on June 14, the first loss of his professional career.
The Association of Boxing and Combative Sports Commissions handed him a 180-day medical suspension. That runs into December unless a maxillofacial specialist clears him sooner.
The Rematch Push Meets A Reluctant Champion
Topuria’s camp has made its preference clear. Manager Malki Kawa shared a clip of White discussing a possible Pimblett fight on his Instagram story and captioned it “We want the get back 1000%.”
The UFC has kept that option alive, with Jon Anik saying the promotion is seriously weighing a rematch. Gaethje isn’t in a hurry. The lightweight champion told Sports Illustrated, “I still can’t punch anything. Both of my hands are still hurt from the fight,” and said of running it back, “I don’t think that’s my next fight. I don’t feel it in my gut.”
The next piece of the lightweight picture lands Saturday, September 19. Arman Tsarukyan meets Mauricio Ruffy in a five-round co-main event at UFC 331 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, and White has not guaranteed the winner a title shot.
