Ilia Topuria Says He Has Two or Three Fights Left Before Retirement
Topuria reveals the Gaethje loss reignited his fire and he plans to fight just a few more times.
Ilia Topuria was considering walking away from the sport before he even stepped into the Octagon against Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250. Now, after losing his lightweight title by fourth-round TKO, the 29-year-old says the defeat gave him a reason to keep fighting.
In an interview with Alvaro Colmenero, Topuria revealed he had been thinking about retirement before the White House fight, per LowKickMMA. He felt he had accomplished everything he set out to do. Then the loss happened.
Topuria told Colmenero the defeat "didn't put out the fire" and instead "made it much bigger." He said fans can expect him to compete at least two or three more times before hanging up the gloves.
"Two or three fights, yes. For sure," Topuria said.
In a separate interview with Fight Disciples, Topuria warned his next opponent that he plans to "change their lives physically." He added: "Nothing scares me."
The Georgian-Spaniard plans to begin hardcore MMA training in January and is targeting a return to the Octagon in the second quarter of 2027. He has expressed interest in fighting Paddy Pimblett and believes a rematch with the 37-year-old Gaethje will happen before Gaethje retires.
Dana White confirmed earlier this week that Topuria would return in early 2027, aligning with the fighter's own timeline. The former featherweight and lightweight champion's sole career loss came in devastating fashion, with his corner calling off the fight after Topuria could no longer see due to the damage sustained.
The loss dropped "El Matador" to 15-1 overall. Despite the setback, Topuria says the fire is burning hotter than ever.
The most interesting thing Topuria said here is that he was thinking about retirement BEFORE the Gaethje fight. That tells you something about where his head was at, and it might explain why we saw a different fighter that night.
Two or three fights is not a lot, and that is a man with a clear head talking. He is 29. He does not need to grind out a decade of damage. He needs signature wins.
The Pimblett fight makes sense as a fun one. The Gaethje rematch is the legacy fight. If he can get both of those done and win them, he walks away as one of the best lightweights to ever do it, even with the loss. Sometimes losing is the best thing that can happen to a fighter who was starting to check out mentally.
