TLDR
- Aleksandre Topuria is negotiating a fight against Santiago Luna at UFC Qatar on November 21
- The 30-year-old bantamweight has not fought since November 2025, spending time coaching brother Ilia
- Aleksandre holds a 7-1 professional record with two UFC wins
- Opponent Santiago Luna is 8-1 overall and coming off his first career loss in June
- Ilia Topuria lost his lightweight title to Justin Gaethje in June and is sidelined until 2027
Sources: yardbarker.com | sports.yahoo.com | mmajunkie.usatoday.com
Aleksandre Topuria is negotiating a return to the UFC after spending nearly a year in his brother’s corner. The 30-year-old bantamweight is in talks to face Santiago Luna at UFC Qatar on November 21 in Doha, according to Spanish MMA reporter Álvaro Colmenero.
Aleksandre has not competed since November 2025, when he defeated Bekzat Almakhan by unanimous decision for his second UFC victory. He spent most of the past year coaching his younger brother Ilia, who was the UFC featherweight and lightweight champion.
The extended break from competition came as Aleksandre focused on helping Ilia prepare for his fights at the highest level. Ilia held titles in two weight classes before losing the lightweight championship to Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250 in June 2026.
Breaking Down Gaethje’s Fighting Style
Before Ilia’s title fight with Gaethje, Aleksandre provided detailed analysis of the American fighter’s techniques. He explained that Gaethje picks his shots based on how opponents position themselves in front of him.
The ufc cut bekzat almakhan because of his losses to umar and aleksandre topuria, two losses against two of the best fighters in the division even though he was on short notice against umar and gave both umar and aleksandre problems.
I don’t know what the ufc’s real reason is… pic.twitter.com/kTptt8vCUB
— Hatim (@i_7atmi) August 15, 2026
“One important thing: Justin Gaethje picks his shots when you stand in front of him,” Aleksandre said on Ilia’s YouTube channel. He described how Gaethje adjusts his attacks with calf kicks or uppercuts depending on an opponent’s stance.
Aleksandre warned that Gaethje becomes vulnerable when throwing strikes but said timing counters requires careful calculation. “He’s very fragile when he hits, but it’s a double-edged sword to choose to hit him when he’s hitting,” he explained.
Despite the preparation, Ilia lost the lightweight title to Gaethje in June. The defeat ended Ilia’s undefeated streak and left him sidelined until 2027.
Return to Active Competition
With Ilia out of action for the remainder of the year, Aleksandre is ready to resume his own fighting career. He holds a 7-1 professional record and has won both of his UFC appearances.
Aleksandre once put his professional MMA career on hold entirely to help his younger brother rise through the UFC ranks. He resumed competing in 2021 and has fought sparingly since then.
His proposed opponent Santiago Luna brings an 8-1 overall record and 2-1 UFC mark to the matchup. The Argentine bantamweight suffered the first loss of his professional career in June when Bryce Mitchell submitted him.
UFC Qatar on November 21 is also expected to feature a middleweight fight between Ikram Aliskerov and former title challenger Jared Cannonier. The promotion has not formally announced any bouts for the card yet.
The event marks the UFC’s return to Doha. Aleksandre will look to secure his third Octagon victory if the bout with Luna is finalized.
