A highly anticipated matchup that got away from the fans in 2025 could still be on the cards.
Dana White hasn’t confirmed that Ilia Topuria will face the winner of the UFC 324 main event when he makes his return to the Octagon.
In November, the lightweight champion announced that he wouldn’t be fighting again anytime soon due to having personal issues to deal with.
Justin Gaethje has said that he hopes Topuria vacates the belt ahead of his upcoming clash with Paddy Pimblett for the interim title on January 24.
While a title unification fight would make the most sense for ‘El Matador’ in 2026, there’s another matchup that fans have wanted to see for quite some time.
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Who comes out on top at UFC 324: Justin Gaethje or Paddy Pimblett?
Only one man can secure the interim lightweight title on January 24.
Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett face each other at UFC 324. Credits: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
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Merab Dvalishvili teases Islam Makhachev vs Ilia Topuria insider knowledge
Ilia Topuria has continued to talk about fighting Islam Makhachev despite being yet to defend the lightweight title that he won at UFC 317 last year.
His victory over Charles Oliveira in their vacant title fight came after Makhachev relinquished the title in order to move up to welterweight.
Oliveira recently shared his thoughts on…
2026-01-16 00:00:00
