TLDR
- Ilia Topuria plans to return between April and June 2026 after stepping away for a custody battle
- Topuria will face the winner of the Justin Gaethje vs Paddy Pimblett interim title fight at UFC 324
- Pimblett enters the January 24 bout on a nine-fight winning streak spanning seven years
- Number one ranked Arman Tsarukyan remains without a title shot despite recent win
- UFC 324 serves as the promotion’s first event under its new deal with Paramount
Sources: MMA News | Sports Illustrated | Sherdog
UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria has announced he plans to return between April and June 2026 to face the winner of the interim title fight at UFC 324. The 28-year-old Georgian fighter has been away from competition while dealing with a custody battle involving his ex-wife.
Topuria shared the timeline on social media platform X when responding to fan questions. He confirmed his target is a spring bout with whoever wins the interim championship.
The champion’s absence led the UFC to create an interim lightweight title fight between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett. That bout headlines UFC 324 on January 24 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
UFC 324 marks the promotion’s first event under its new deal with Paramount. The card was scheduled to feature a co-main event between Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes, but Harrison withdrew from the bout.
🚨| Ilia Topuria has confirmed he is ready to face the winner of Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett in the summer. 👀
(via @Topuriailia)
ILIA TOPURIA IS BACK ‼️🔥 pic.twitter.com/uBAAO9qR69
— MMA Orbit (@mma_orbit) January 16, 2026
Pimblett’s Path to Title Shot
Pimblett enters the interim title fight riding a nine-fight winning streak that spans more than seven years. The 31-year-old former Cage Warriors champion last competed at UFC 314 in April, where he stopped three-time Bellator champion Michael Chandler with strikes in the third round.
The Liverpool native has cleared every challenge UFC matchmakers have presented. He holds a 23-0 record with 17 career finishes.
Gaethje brings a 9-5 UFC record into the bout. The former World Series of Fighting champion has won three of his past four fights, most recently defeating Rafael Fiziev by unanimous decision at UFC 313 on March 8.
The only fighters to beat Gaethje in the UFC are Max Holloway, Charles Oliveira, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Dustin Poirier and Eddie Alvarez. All five held or competed for UFC titles.
Tsarukyan Left Without Title Shot
The decision to book Gaethje versus Pimblett for the interim title left number one ranked Arman Tsarukyan on the sidelines. Tsarukyan was scheduled to fight then-champion Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 last January but withdrew on weigh-in day due to injury.
UFC CEO Dana White told Complex that Tsarukyan needs to work his way back to a title shot. White cited the fighter’s controversial headbutt during a staredown with Dan Hooker and the late withdrawal from the Makhachev fight as reasons.
Tsarukyan has since spoken on The Ariel Helwani Show about not receiving a lightweight title opportunity. The 29-year-old claims the UFC wants Pimblett to become champion and has considered dropping to featherweight or pursuing the BMF belt.
After pulling out of the Makhachev fight, Tsarukyan returned to submit Dan Hooker in the main event of UFC Qatar. Despite the win, White appears unwilling to grant him another immediate title shot.
Topuria won the lightweight championship by knocking out Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 last year. The title became vacant after Makhachev moved up from lightweight to welterweight.
Before capturing lightweight gold, Topuria held the featherweight championship in 2024. He won that belt by finishing Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 and defended it with a knockout victory over Max Holloway.
Topuria’s professional MMA record stands at 17-0. He joined the UFC in 2020 and won six straight fights before capturing his first championship.
