Ilia Topuria's coach surprises everyone by giving a timeframe for the fighter's return to the UFC; check it out.

Ilia Topuria He is one of the most popular names in MMA. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram.

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Despite suffering one of the most traumatic and surprising defeats in MMA history at the hands of Justin Gaehtje in the main event of UFC White House, Ilia Topuria It may not be too far from returning to action in the biggest MMA organization on the planet. In an interview with the Spanish portal 'El Nuevo Herald' last Wednesday (24), Jesus Gallo, the fighter's physical trainer, brought optimistic information about El Matador's recovery and also hinted that the former champion could return to competition as early as 2026.

According to Gallo, the injuries caused by Gaethje's powerful blows are no longer visible, to the point that the team sees a return in the coming months as feasible. This was the first time the athlete has been defeated as a professional, ending a streak of 17 consecutive victories.

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“One day at a time, he already looks like a completely different person… He looks like he hasn’t even been in a fight, honestly. All the swelling on his face has gone down, all the bruising he had. What the doctor told us was that in 6 to 8 weeks, it should heal properly, especially since there was no displaced fracture. After that, for him to start wrestling again, to start doing things again, it will take a while to really solidify there. I think we’re talking about at least 2 to 3 months, easily. If you saw us in a rematch or a fight, it would be at the end of the year, December. Who knows? We’ll see,” he stated.

???? Ilia Topuria's physical trainer, Jesus Gallo, provided an update on Ilia's recovery

He says we could see Ilia return as early as December 2026 👀

“Day by day he already looks like a completely different person… He looks like he wasn't even in a fight, Honestly. All the… pic.twitter.com/qHQ90a9pNL

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) June 25, 2026

Topuria's face was badly injured.

Topuria was punished by Gaethje in the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/UFC

Topuria's physical condition drew a lot of attention from fans and spectators throughout the fight. Previously undefeated, the Georgian/Spanish fighter left the octagon needing to be supported by his teammates, in addition to suffering from several injuries, mainly to his face. The damage was so alarming that some fighters even declared... not being confident in a return of the former champion to his old form.

Immediately after the event, he was suspended for 180 days by the California Athletic Commission, needing medical reports to be able to compete again before then. He suffered fractures to his nose and both eye sockets.