Ilia Topuria recently returned to the public eye months after suffering his first career loss at the hands of Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250 in June. The former UFC lightweight champion first penned an emotional letter to his son, Hugo, reflecting on the importance of overcoming adversity. Then he admitted his mistakes against Gaethje that cost him his lightweight title. However, ‘El Matador’s’ return appears to be about more than simply reflecting on his first career setback. Dana White has now revealed that the promotion is already preparing the road for his comeback.

During a recent appearance on The Jim Rome Show, the UFC CEO revealed that he and the matchmakers are already considering Topuria’s next assignment. According to the 57-year-old, two compelling options have emerged during those discussions: a rematch with Justin Gaethje or a grudge match against Paddy Pimblett.

“Topuria’s ready to fight,” White said. “We’re ready for him. Both sound good to me. They’re both great. We don’t lose with either one of those fights. They’re both great fights. I don’t know. Listen, anything I say on this show, there’s going to be 100 of these goofy Instagram guys like, ‘Dana White just announced Paddy Pimblett.’ They’re both great.

“We don’t have anything set. I don’t really have the answer to that question. Obviously the rematch with Gaethje is incredible. And a Paddy Pimblett fight is amazing, as bad as those two hate each other.”

Dana White’s hesitation is understandable. Either matchup would give Topuria a compelling path back into the title picture, but for very different reasons.

A rematch against ‘The Highlight’ would give the former champion an opportunity to avenge the only defeat of his career while also putting the “quitter” narrative to rest after his corner stopped the fight in the fourth round at UFC Freedom 250.

Meanwhile, a showdown with Pimblett would finally bring their long-running rivalry to the Octagon. The two have been trading barbs for years, with their rivalry dating back to their infamous altercation in London in March 2022. Now that both men are established UFC stars, the long-running feud could finally be settled inside the Octagon. And ‘The Baddy’ certainly isn’t opposed to making that happen. In fact, Paddy Pimblett is also interested in the fight.

In a recent interview with Eze Obas, the No. 5-ranked lightweight has already expressed interest in being Topuria’s comeback opponent. In a recent interview with Eze Obas, said he would like to “smash” Topuria’s head when the Spaniard returns. But while Pimblett remains an obvious option, Jon Anik recently added another layer of uncertainty to the former champion’s comeback plans.

During the Anik & Florian Podcast, the UFC play-by-play commentator revealed that the promotion is considering an immediate rematch between Topuria and Gaethje. ‘El Matador’ has been openly campaigning for another crack at ‘The Highlight,’ but the Arizona native previously made it clear that he would not welcome an immediate rematch and would rather face a fresh opponent.

For now, then, Topuria’s next opponent remains up in the air. But while the UFC weighs its options, Gaethje has already offered his own explanation for how he managed to pull off the upset, and more importantly, where he believes Topuria went wrong.

Justin Gaethje reflects on Ilia Topuria’s biggest mistake in White House fight 

Three months ago, Justin Gaethje defied the odds to dethrone Ilia Topuria and become the lightweight champion at 37. The Arizona native’s victory, coupled with his remarkable performance, was nothing short of astonishing, as much of the MMA world had counted him out against a phenom like ‘El Matador.’ 

At first, Topuria being heavily favored was understandable. He knocked out three legends of the sport: Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira, two of whom (Holloway and Oliveira) had previously defeated Gaethje, making the Spaniard’s chances against Gaethje all the more stronger. However, ‘The Highlight’ believes Topuria’s reputation as a legend killer ultimately worked against him, as he tried to replicate the same dominant performance against him. 

“I’m referring to the twelve weeks before the fight, those emotional mistakes in preparation,” Gaethje told Demetrious Johnson. “He wasn’t prepared for what happened that night, and that’s his fault, because he didn’t think it was possible for someone to be there with him for that long, or whatever it was. He forgot who he was and how dangerous this game is. Every fight is so individual, and nothing matters.

“One of the biggest mistakes I have ever made is trying to replicate the perfect performance next time, and it takes away from that moment, from this moment. I guarantee that’s what he was trying to do. He was trying to replicate it. That’s why he was trying to do the same parties, and that’s probably the same thing, and it’s a mistake.”

As Gaethje pointed out, Ilia Topuria’s stubborn pursuit of an early knockout became a crucial factor in his defeat on June 14. The Georgian-Spaniard appeared to empty his gas tank by the second round, when he came close to securing a finish with punishing body shots. 

From there, however, the momentum shifted entirely. ‘The Highlight’ battered Topuria relentlessly until his corner stopped the contest in the fourth round. Had Topuria practiced greater patience instead of going all-out from the opening bell, he might have retained his title.

Interestingly, the 29-year-old had in fact demonstrated a high level of composure earlier in his career. In his 2023 main-event clash with Josh Emmett, the former champion fought with far greater caution, avoiding unnecessary exchanges while responding with precise combinations. The approach paid off, as ‘El Matador’ cruised to a dominant unanimous decision victory and even secured a rare 10-7 score in the fourth round.

Against Gaethje, however, Ilia Topuria appeared to abandon that calculated approach. He seemed determined to hunt for the head and deliver the kind of spectacular finish he had become known for, just as he had promised before the fight. And according to Gaethje, that mindset extended beyond the Octagon, with Topuria’s pre-fight celebrations becoming another sign that he was already envisioning the same kind of perfect performance.

The lesson, as Gaethje sees it, is that no two fights can be approached the same way. A fighter can prepare perfectly for one opponent and still find himself facing an entirely different challenge when the cage door closes. Topuria learned that the hard way at UFC White House.

Now, with the former champion preparing for his return and the UFC weighing Gaethje and Pimblett as potential opponents, the next chapter of his career could be defined by how well he applies that lesson. Whether ‘El Matador’ can return with greater patience and reclaim his place at the top — or whether his first loss opens the door to an unexpected losing streak — remains to be seen.