Dana White: Ilia Topuria will return to the UFC in early 2027

UFC CEO Dana White said Ilia Topuria will return to the Octagon in early 2027, giving the clearest public timeline yet for the former lightweight champion since his upset loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250 in June.

White made the comments Wednesday, November 4, 2026, on The Jim Rome Show, as reported by MMA Junkie, Heavy and NY Fights. He said the promotion is already working on the matchup but declined to name a frontrunner.

"In 2027. He'll come back in early 2027," White said, per MMA Junkie. "We're working on that, too. That entire lightweight division, you've got Gaethje, Topuria, Arman Tsarukyan, Oliveira, Paddy Pimblett, Holloway. The whole top 10 is straight killers and the most badass division we have right now."

No opponent named yet

White refused to tip a preferred opponent, arguing that naming one would spark misleading social-media speculation. All of the lightweights he listed — Justin Gaethje, Arman Tsarukyan, Charles Oliveira, Paddy Pimblett and Max Holloway — are without a publicly booked next fight, leaving the UFC with several headline options once Topuria is cleared to compete.

A Jim Rome Show clip shared on X and cited by Heavy captured White confirming the 2027 target: "He'll be back in '27. We're working on that too."

Context after the Gaethje loss

Topuria, 29, is 17-1 overall and 9-1 in the UFC. He vacated the featherweight throne to move up, then lost the lightweight title to Gaethje by TKO in a June White House headliner that MMA Junkie and Heavy described as one of the biggest upsets of the year. He absorbed heavy damage and has not fought since.

Industry reporting has noted that an immediate rematch with Gaethje is unlikely after a first-defense finish, which would push Topuria toward other top-10 names for his return. Pimblett previously called Topuria "damaged goods" while pitching a 2027 clash; White's comments leave that door open without locking anyone in.

Stacked lightweight picture

White's timeline lands amid a crowded 155-pound landscape he repeatedly called the deepest division in the company. Gaethje holds the title after dethroning Topuria; Oliveira is booked to defend the BMF belt against Diego Lopes at UFC 335 in December; and Pimblett, Holloway and Tsarukyan remain high-visibility free agents on the booking board.

No official UFC card announcement has tied Topuria to a date or opponent. Until that happens, White's Jim Rome comments stand as the best available guidance: early 2027, opponent still to be determined, with the lightweight division's top names all in play.