Ilia Topuria is taking a brief step back from competition.
The reigning UFC lightweight champion released a statement on social media Thursday, explaining why he will not be making the walk to the octagon anytime soon. Topuria wrote he is “going through a difficult moment in my personal life” and that “I want to focus on my children and resolve this situation as soon as possible.”
See Topuria’s full statement below, in which he added he doesn’t “want to hold up the division.”
“I won’t be fighting in the first quarter of next year. I’m going through a difficult moment in my personal life. I want to focus on my children and resolve this situation as soon as possible.
“I don’t want to hold up the division. The UFC will make the matchups needed, and as soon as the matters are resolved I’ll let the UFC know I’m ready to begin my return.”
The undefeated Topuria (17-0) had an eventful 2025. Following momentous knockout victories over Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski in featherweight championship bouts in 2024, Topuria announced his plans to move up to the lightweight division to potentially challenge then-champion Islam Makhachev. However, Makhachev decided to make his own move up, jumping to welterweight and leaving Topuria to face Charles Oliveira for a vacant 155-pound title at UFC 317 this past June. Topuria defeated Oliveira via first-round knockout to claim the vacant belt and become the 10th fighter in UFC history to win titles in two divisions.
He currently stands at No. 2 in MMA Fighting’s Pound-for-Pound Rankings, behind only Makhachev, who became the UFC’s 11th two-division champion with a dominant decision win over Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322.
There is currently no shortage of vocal contenders at lightweight, with longtime fan favorite Justin Gaethje and Topuria rival Paddy Pimblett both publicly campaigning for the shot. Now, it appears both will have to wait until at least April for a chance to face off with “El Matador.”
