Dana White eyes Ilia Topuria's UFC return for early 2027 after brutal loss

Dana White targets early 2027 UFC return for Ilia Topuria after loss.

The UFC CEO confirmed the timeline on The Jim Rome Show.

“In ’27,” White said when asked about Topuria’s next appearance.

“He’ll come back in early [2027], and we’re working on that, too.”

Topuria has not fought since June 2026.

That night, he lost his lightweight title to Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250.

The fight was stopped by Topuria’s own corner before the fifth round.

Topuria later revealed he temporarily lost vision in both eyes during the bout.

The damage included reported orbital bone fractures around both eyes.

It was the first professional loss of Topuria’s career.

White praised the depth of the lightweight division when asked about a potential opponent.

“That entire lightweight division — you’ve got [Justin] Gaethje, Topuria, Arman Tsarukyan, [Charles] Oliveira, Paddy Pimblett, [Max] Holloway, the whole top 10 is straight killers,” White said.

“It’s the best and most bad-ass division we have right now.”

White declined to name a specific opponent for Topuria’s return.

“I’m not gonna give you a name,” White said.

“Then all of these Instagram frigging things out there say, ‘Oh, he said he’s fighting him.’ It drives me mental.”

Topuria himself signaled his intention to return in a social media post.

“The Matador is coming back,” he wrote.

He posted photos from the Didgori Memorial in Georgia.

“I returned to where it all began,” Topuria wrote.

“Not to reminisce, but to remember. ‘The Matador’ is coming back.”

The 29-year-old former two-division champion has been recovering in his home country of Georgia.

He relocated from Miami after the loss to focus on recovery and training.

The lightweight division now has several potential matchups for Topuria’s return.

Paddy Pimblett is the most discussed potential opponent.

The two fighters have a rivalry dating back to an altercation at a London hotel in 2022.

They faced off again after Topuria’s knockout victory over Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 in June 2025.

Pimblett recently defeated Benoit Saint Denis, keeping himself in contention for a high-profile fight.

Arman Tsarukyan is another candidate for Topuria’s return.

Tsarukyan strengthened his position in the lightweight division with a knockout win over Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331 in September 2026.

Justin Gaethje has ruled out an immediate rematch with Topuria.

The reigning lightweight champion’s own future remains uncertain.

Gaethje has not yet clarified whether he intends to continue competing.

A rematch with Alexander Volkanovski would give the Australian a chance to avenge his previous loss.

Volkanovski previously lost to Topuria when Topuria was featherweight champion.

No date or opponent has been officially announced for Topuria’s comeback.

White’s confirmation gives the clearest timeline yet for when fans can expect to see Topuria back in the Octagon.

The UFC lightweight division is widely considered the most competitive in the sport.

Topuria held both the featherweight and lightweight titles before losing the lightweight belt to Gaethje.

His recovery from the vision loss and facial injuries has been the subject of intense interest.

The former champion has remained largely out of the public eye since the fight.

His social media post from Georgia marked his first direct statement about a return.

The UFC has not announced a location or event for Topuria’s comeback fight.

White’s comments suggest the promotion is actively working on booking the fight.

The lightweight division’s depth means multiple compelling matchups are available.

Each potential opponent brings a different storyline and risk level.

Pimblett offers a personal rivalry and a strong promotional angle.

Tsarukyan offers a high-level grappling challenge and a path back to title contention.

A rematch with Gaethje would be the biggest money fight but seems unlikely in the short term.

Topuria’s first loss raised questions about how he would respond to adversity.

His recovery from the physical damage has been closely watched by fans and analysts.

The temporary blindness he suffered during the fight added a serious health dimension to his layoff.