Ilia Topuria is said to be recovering well following the first defeat of his MMA career.
The former two-weight champion lost his lightweight title at UFC Freedom 250 on Sunday night.
Justin Gaethje forced Ilia Topuria’s corner to throw in the towel after four rounds of pulsating action at the White House.
Despite being unable to continue after four punishing rounds, he later took to Instagram with a message for fans and a short video showing that he was on the mend. His recovery looked genuine, and he seemed to be in good spirits as well, especially given what had just happened inside the octagon.
Even though there were calls for a rematch between Topuria and Gaethje right away, Dana White went ahead and gave Dustin Poirier another chance at Gaethje instead. Meanwhile, Topuria is expected to face off against Conor McGregor in Dublin in November, as McGregor continues his journey back into title contention.
Ilia Topuria’s next fight
The bout with McGregor marks the start of a comeback campaign for Topuria following his loss against Justin Gaethje. While he doesn’t currently have a fight scheduled outside of this one, it could serve as an opportunity for him to rebuild momentum quickly — especially with many calling out how competitive he was against one of the most experienced fighters in the division.
This return isn’t happening overnight, though — so make sure you stay tuned because we’ll have all your updates here on HITC Sport once things start heating up again closer to November!
Ilia Topuria has a fractured orbital but won’t need surgery
Dana White had suspected that Ilia Topuria suffered a broken orbital bone during UFC Freedom 250, and that has now been confirmed.
A medical update reported by AS Mas Deportes has provided more detail on the injury and how Topuria is recovering.
“Good news from the United States. Ilia Topuria is doing well,” AS Mas Deportes reported. “As AS has learned and confirmed with sources close to the fighter, the Georgian-Spanish boxer has an orbital fracture, but will not require any surgery.”
Topuria will need some time to heal properly, but at least it doesn’t look like anything more serious than his fractured orbital was sustained during his defeat.
Ilia Topuria responds after loss at UFC Freedom 250
Ilia Topuria has spoken publicly for the first time since his loss, posting a message to fans on social media.
“Justin, congratulations. You said you’d leave your mark on my face… and you did,” he wrote on Instagram.“You took the sight from my right eye in the first round, and by the end of the second, from my left too.“No excuses. I had one of the best camps of my life. I came in sharp, prepared, and ready.
Topuria also told his followers that he plans to return stronger than ever after recovering from his injuries.
“Last night was your night. That’s the nature of this game. Glory and pain walk side by side.“I’ll heal. I’ll rest. And I’ll return stronger, wiser, and far more dangerous.“And trust me… this story between us is far from over. We will have our rematch.”
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