Ilia Topuria has hinted he's gearing up for a comeback, but it's remained unclear how long that process will take.
UFC CEO Dana White shed some more light on Topuria's timeline Wednesday, and it sounds like fight fans could see him sooner rather than later.
"In 2027. He'll come back in early 2027," White said on "The Jim Rome Show". "We're working on that, too. That entire lightweight division, you've got Gaethje, Topuria, Arman Tsarukyan, Oliveira, Paddy Pimblett, Holloway. The whole top 10 is straight killers and the most badass division we have right now."
White declined to name-drop a frontrunner, saying that it would lead to a frenzy of misleading Instagram posts.
However, all of the names White rattled off above don't have a publicly-known
fight, so the UFC certainly has some options for Topuria (17-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) when he is ready.
"He'll be back in '27. We're working on that too."@DanaWhite confirms Ilia Topuria's return to #UFC will happen next year. pic.twitter.com/tbRDbrnMo4
— Jim Rome (@jimrome) November 4, 2026
Topuria, 29, has not competed since a shocking upset loss to Justin Gaethje in June. The fight headlined UFC Freedom 250 at the White House. While Topuria did have some moments, the bout ultimately finished in a beatdown by Gaethje.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Dana White reveals Ilia Topuria UFC return timeline
