UFC president Dana White has shared an update on the condition of Ilia Topuria following his defeat to Justin Gaethje in the main event of UFC Freedom 250 at the White House.
As reported by İdman.Biz, Topuria was unable to continue after the fourth round of the lightweight title fight, with the bout being stopped due to the significant damage he had absorbed throughout the contest. The result handed Gaethje a technical knockout victory and the undisputed UFC lightweight championship.
Speaking at the post-fight press conference, White revealed that Topuria had been taken to hospital for further evaluation.
"Ilia is in the hospital. He took a lot of damage. I'm not a doctor, but his eye looks like he may have suffered an orbital fracture. That's not a fact, it's just my opinion," White said.
The UFC president emphasized that the organization's immediate focus is on the fighter's recovery rather than his return to competition.
"My plan is to let him go home, recover and take a break. He had a very tough night. Right now, I just want to make sure he's okay. I'm not even thinking about his next fight. He should go home, rest and heal," White added.
The defeat marked the first loss of Topuria's professional MMA career. Entering UFC Freedom 250, the Georgian-Spanish fighter had built an undefeated record and established himself as one of the promotion's biggest stars. Despite the setback, White's comments suggest that the UFC intends to give the former champion all the time necessary to recover before discussing future plans.
