Topuria says he thought about retiring, eyes April return against Paddy Pimblett

Ilia Topuria says he thought about retiring after his first career loss, and that his team is now looking at a return from April 2027. He named Paddy Pimblett as the man he wants. He said it to Spain's ABC, which posted a preview on Instagram on Thursday, November 5, and ran the full interview on Friday.

It was his first interview in five months. Speaking in Spanish, he said he felt he had squeezed everything out of the sport after the loss, according to Flashscore and Deporte de Contacto. But the sport itself called him back. English versions of that line differ: NY Fights reads it as him leaving open retirement after his next fight.

He also gave a timeline and a name. In SB Nation's translation:

"From April onward is when we are considering returning."

"Paddy, Paddy, Paddy. I'll eat him like a sausage, which he is."

"I couldn't see"

Speaking in English on "One On One," as reported Friday by MMA Junkie, he backed his brother and coach, Aleksandre, for stopping the fight. "Me personally, I wouldn't say, 'Stop it.' But I respect the decision that my brother took in that moment," he said.

"I couldn't see. I couldn't open my eyes," he added. "If he didn't stop the fight, probably I wouldn't be able to fight again in my life."

SPORTbible reports non-displaced fractures to both eye sockets. Topuria described "two orbital bones broken, his nose broken, with his feet broken." We haven't seen a medical statement. Talking to Adam Catterall of Fight Disciples, according to SPORTbible, he said it "would be very sad" to hear from a doctor that he couldn't fight anymore.

How he got here

Topuria (17-1) knocked out Alexander Volkanovski for the featherweight title in February 2024 and knocked out Max Holloway that October. He gave up that belt to move up. At UFC 317 in June 2025, he knocked out Charles Oliveira in 2:27 of the first round for the lightweight title, vacated by Islam Makhachev, Al Jazeera reported.

He sat out early 2026 for personal reasons. Gaethje beat Pimblett by unanimous decision for the interim belt at UFC 324 in January. Then on June 14, at UFC Freedom 250 at the White House, Topuria's corner stopped the fight after the fourth round.

It was a big upset. Topuria closed at −478, about a 79% chance, and 81 of 86 experts picked him, according to our fight page. Gaethje has now won two straight title fights as the underdog, after closing at +200 against Pimblett.

Pimblett and what comes next

The grudge goes back to March 2022, when Pimblett's tweets about Georgians led to a scuffle at the UFC London fight-week hotel, ESPN Deportes reported. Last December Topuria praised him. Pimblett told The Independent: "I still hate him, and I know he still hates me."

Pimblett (24-4) submitted Benoit Saint-Denis in 52 seconds on July 11 as a +110 underdog. In October he said "it's only Ilia left, really," and that if he didn't fight this year, it would be "March, April," per SB Nation. At closing odds, each man has won 8 of his 9 priced UFC fights, according to our pages for Topuria and Pimblett. That's history, not a forecast, and there's no line on the fight yet.

The UFC hasn't booked anything. In September, Dana White told Jim Rome that a Gaethje rematch was "incredible" and "a Paddy Pimblett fight is amazing," LowKick MMA reported. White has also said Topuria will be back in early 2027, according to Deporte de Contacto. Gaethje hasn't said what he'll do next, and White has floated a fight with Volkanovski, according to Sherdog.

We think Pimblett is the logical comeback fight. Both men are aiming at the same spring window. The title picture waits on Gaethje, so Topuria needs a fight in the meantime, and Pimblett is the biggest one available. We found no response from Pimblett as of Friday.