Ilia Topuria is back in Georgia, the country where he grew up, putting in hard training sessions weeks after his defeat to Justin Gaethje at the White House, and he has posted a video on social media with a message aimed at anyone questioning his ability to bounce back: “El Matador está de vuelta” — “The Matador is back,” abc.es reported.
The former two-division UFC champion, who moved to Alicante, Spain, at age 15, has spent the past several weeks in the Caucasus country where he first fell in love with combat sports. He is expected to travel in the coming weeks to take a place in his brother Aleksandre’s corner as the head trainer at the next UFC event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, according to the report.
Topuria’s return to Georgia comes after he lost to Gaethje on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington and then recovered from the injuries he suffered in that fight. He had already signaled his intentions in a statement posted to Instagram after the loss in Washington, writing that he would return “stronger, wiser and much more dangerous.”
Stair sprints at the Didgori monument near Tbilisi
In recent days, Topuria was cheered by compatriots while driving through the streets of the country, and he has now published video of himself doing cardio work on the stairs surrounding the monument commemorating the Battle of Didgori, near the capital, Tbilisi, abc.es reported.
Alongside those images, he spelled out why he had come back to the country: “I returned to where it all started. Not to yearn for it, but to remember,” he wrote on his social media accounts. The post carried a second line aimed at MMA fans in Georgia and around the world: “The Matador is back.”
Topuria continues his physical preparation with his eyes set on returning to the octagon of the world’s largest MMA promotion.
New footage of Ilia Topuria putting in work in Georgia 👀 Training alongside Georgian pro boxer Lasha Guruli (via lashagurulii/IG) pic.twitter.com/zGSzLT6b2D
Three possible paths back to the top
Several scenarios are on the table for his next fight, and all of them hinge on whether Gaethje decides to retire from MMA. If the American does not hang up his gloves, Topuria’s path could lead to a rematch with Gaethje or to the long-awaited bout against Paddy Pimblett. If Gaethje steps aside, Topuria would have a clear lane to fight for the lightweight title, this time against Arman Tsarukyan.
| Scenario | Possible opponent | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Rematch | Justin Gaethje | Only if Gaethje remains active in MMA |
| Superfight | Paddy Pimblett | Only if Gaethje remains active in MMA |
| Lightweight title shot | Arman Tsarukyan | Only if Gaethje retires |
In every case, the final say belongs to the promotion’s matchmakers and to UFC president Dana White, who fit the pieces of the lightweight puzzle together, abc.es reported.
What we know — and what is still unconfirmed
When is Topuria’s next fight? No date has been announced. The only confirmed commitment on his calendar is traveling in the coming weeks to corner his brother Aleksandre at the next UFC event in Riyadh.
Who decides his opponent? The UFC’s matchmakers and Dana White. The promotion has not announced whether Gaethje will retire, and that decision determines whether Topuria gets a rematch, a fight with Pimblett, or a lightweight title bout with Tsarukyan.
Ilia Topuria just made an entrance at RKENA MMA in Georgia 🔥 (via @RKENA_MMA) pic.twitter.com/SBObUSIpFN
Where is he training?
What did he say after the loss in Washington? On Instagram he wrote that he would come back stronger, wiser and much more dangerous; this week he added that the Matador is back.
Until the next step in Topuria’s career is announced, the fighter himself has made one thing clear: he is back.
Worth a look
