Ilia Topuria says he sustained four broken bones in his fight with Justin Gaethje, including fractures of both orbital bones, a broken nose and a broken foot. Topuria said he nearly lost his sight, could not breathe and was in considerable pain during the fight.
Ilia Topuria has revealed the extent of the damage he took in his fight with Justin Gaethje, saying he suffered four broken bones, including fractures to both orbital bones, a broken nose and a broken foot.
Topuria said the injuries went beyond the visible. He described nearly losing his sight, being unable to breathe and fighting through considerable pain. The disclosure adds a physical dimension to a result that ended his unbeaten run.
Topuria, 29, is a Spanish lightweight who trains out of Climent Club and fights from an orthodox stance. He enters this recovery period at 17-1-0 and holds the number one spot in the lightweight rankings as well as the top position in the pound-for-pound list. At five-foot-seven (170 cm) with a 69-inch (175 cm) reach, he is a compact fighter who has built his reputation on power and pressure. He lands 4.81 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy, and he averages 1.96 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
The Gaethje bout was his most recent recorded fight. It took place on June 14, 2026, at UFC Freedom 250, a title fight that Topuria lost by KO/TKO in the fourth round. Before that, he had finished Charles Oliveira in the first round at UFC 317 on June 28, 2025, and Max Holloway in the third round at UFC 308 on October 26, 2024, both in title fights.
That context sharpens the picture of the injuries. Topuria's three most recent recorded bouts were all title fights ending by stoppage, and the last of them lasted into the fourth round. His account suggests he absorbed significant punishment before the finish arrived and was compromised well before the end.
Today's disclosure comes nearly five months after the fight, on November 6, 2026.
Why it matters
- The reported fractures, particularly to both orbital bones and the foot, point to a lengthy recovery before any return to competition.
- Topuria remains ranked number one at lightweight and in the pound-for-pound list in AgentMMA's records, so his timeline affects the top of the division.
- His account of the fight offers a rare look at how a champion functioned while badly hurt, and it adds context to the first loss of his professional career.
