Former UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria will not require surgery despite suffering an injury during his title fight against Justin Gaethje.
As reported by İdman.Biz, citing Marca journalist Irati Prat, the Georgian fighter has been diagnosed with a minor orbital fracture following the bout.
According to the report, surgery has been ruled out, and Topuria is expected to undergo a period of rehabilitation under medical supervision before gradually returning to training.
The injury occurred during UFC Freedom 250, which took place at the White House grounds in Washington on June 16. In the main event, Topuria suffered a fourth-round knockout defeat to American contender Justin Gaethje, losing the UFC lightweight championship in the process.
The setback marked the first loss of Topuria’s professional mixed martial arts career. Before facing Gaethje, the 28-year-old had compiled a perfect record of 17 victories in 17 fights, establishing himself as one of the sport's most dominant champions.
Despite the defeat, many observers expect Topuria to remain a major figure in the lightweight division and potentially earn another title opportunity after recovering from his injuries.
