Ilia Topuria has fought just once in 2025 — an impressive first round knockout of Charles Oliveira in June that earned him the UFC lightweight title. For months questions have swirled regarding when “El
Matador” would return and against whom. Now we may finally know the answer.
Spanish reporter Alvaro Colmenero has solid connections with Topuria’s camp and is reporting that Ilia will return in January 2026 for the UFC’s big debut event on Paramount+.
“The UFC wants to open the new contract with Ilia Topuria in January in Los Angeles, and in this case the rival would be Justin Gaethje,” Colmenero said on the Eurosport network.
Gaethje has been angling for a title shot against Topuria since defeating late replacement Rafael Fiziev in March. “The Highlight” even threatened to retire if the UFC passed him over for the opportunity — not like they needed much prodding to book the popular American into his third lightweight title fight in five years.
That’s bad news for Paddy Pimblett, who was hoping his longstanding feud with Topuria could make people overlook his No. 7 ranking. Things got even worse for “The Baddy” after UFC 320 when Dana White declared that the winner of Arman Tsarukyan vs. Dan Hooker in November would get a lightweight title shot.
Topuria’s return in January against Gaethje hasn’t been confirmed by White, but the UFC CEO did mention they planned on making their Paramount+ debut in 2026 as big as possible.
“If you look at what we’re we’re looking down the barrel of right now, we’re about to go on a new network on Paramount,” White said at the UFC 320 post-fight presser. “And we need to deliver a massive, incredible card in January.”
Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje for the lightweight title would certainly be a great start.
