Jon Anik thinks the UFC is already talking about running it back.
Ilia Topuria lost the lightweight title to Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250 in June, with his corner stopping the fight before the fifth round. Anik said on the Anik Bros YouTube channel that a rematch is being discussed internally.
I think there are internal conversations to potentially try to do Gaethje vs. Topuria 2. A lot of people wonder aloud, ‘What is next for Ilia Topuria?’ And there’s certainly an obvious foundation for a fight between him and Paddy Pimblett. But if you have Ilia Topuria, as a fight promoter, would you not want to think about putting him back in a championship setting, given how big UFC Freedom 250 was?
I think there’s strong consideration there.
Gaethje does not want it. He has said Arman Tsarukyan is far more deserving of the shot and that Topuria is not fighting him next.
The bigger obstacle is the champion’s hands. Gaethje told Sports Illustrated that both are still hurt from the Topuria fight and that he cannot punch anything, ruling out a return before 2027. He is 37, said he is weighing retirement, and plans to sit on the belt for the rest of the year after fighting twice in the first six months.
The division waits on him. Tsarukyan faces Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331 on September 19 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, a booking he accepted after his original fight with Charles Oliveira fell through. His camp told Ariel Helwani that a win guarantees the next title shot. If he loses, one obstacle to a Topuria rematch disappears.
Oliveira and Max Holloway are the other names in it. Both hold finishes over Gaethje, and Oliveira sits ahead after beating Holloway in March. Gaethje has said he would like to avenge both.
Topuria has no timetable of his own. He came out of the fight with extensive facial injuries but did not need surgery, and he spoke publicly for the first time this week in a message addressed to his son.
