Ilia Topuria's shocking stoppage loss to Justin Gaethje at the White House in June cost him the lightweight belt and handed him the first defeat of his career. Broadcaster Jon Anik floated a rematch, telling Yahoo Sports MMA, "I think there's strong consideration there." Anik also said he expects Topuria to fight again soon if manager Ali Abdelaziz is taken at his word, though nothing is confirmed. Amid the chatter, Paddy Pimblett shot down rumors he'd be Topuria's next opponent in December, saying flatly that he hasn't been offered that fight.
Sources (12)
We summarise the day's news in our own words. Full credit to the outlets below for the original reporting, click through to read their work.
- UFC commentator speculates on Ilia Topuria vs Justin Gaethje rematch (Yahoo Sports)
- Paddy Pimblett responds to rumored December Ilia Topuria fight (Sherdog)
- Ex-UFC star's new career takes wild turn during traffic stop (Sherdog)
- Salahdine Parnasse calls out Max Holloway following showstopping UFC debut (Sherdog)
- Vadim Nemkov Draws Sergei Bilostenniy For PFL Dubai Heavyweight Title Defense (MiddleEasy)
- Shavkat Rakhmonov admits UFC return is far from guaranteed (Sherdog)
- Paddy Pimblett addresses Ilia Topuria fight rumors (MMA Weekly)
- Paulo Costa slams UFC ‘double standards,’ questions Alex Pereira ranking (Sherdog)
- Nathaniel Wood apologizes for stunning UFC Paris upset loss (Sherdog)
- Brian Ortega claims UFC avoids fighters who could ‘whoop us’ (Sherdog)
- ‘I Feel Much Calmer’, Rambolek Reflects On Life As A Monk Before First World Title Defense At The Inner Circle 30 (ONE Championship)
- Khamzat Chimaev says 2 fighters are out of running for next UFC fight (Sherdog)
Split from that day's roundup, so the sources listed are the full set behind the whole edition rather than this story alone.
This story ran in the September 7, 2026 edition of the daily show.