Ilia Topuria recorded his first-ever defeat in his professional career to Justin Gaethje at the historic UFC White House event on June 14, 2026. Gaethje claimed the undisputed lightweight title after a four-round war with a unanimous decision. Topuria’s long-term fitness coach, Jesus Gallo, reveals his progress towards recovery, sharing positive results.

In an Instagram post shared by espnmma on June 26, Topuria’s physical trainer, Gallo, shared Topuria’s health update with Jorge Ebro.

“Ilia Topuria’s physical trainer says that the swelling on his face is already gone and he could begin wrestling again in ‘2 to 3 months,’ the caption said.

The historic fight resulted in non-displaced fractures in both orbital bones and severe cuts, swelling, and bruises across Topuria’s face. Furthermore, he later revealed vision loss in his right eye (during the first round) and soon after in his left eye (in the second round).

The UFC star is also said to have suffered a broken nose during his loss to Gaethje. The good news, however, is that none of his injuries required surgery, and he is well on the road to recovery.

Topuria’s intense training camp pre-fight may have helped him fight off most of Gaethje’s brutal attacks.

How Ilia Topuria trained for the UFC White House fight against Justin Gaethje

Topuria shared several updates of his intense training camp via his Instagram posts, updating his fans on his big prep. He trained at his regular camp located in Alicante, Spain, with his coaches at the Climent Club.

His typical training drills involved wrestling drills, strength training, high-intensity pad work, and sparring sessions. In order to match Gaethje’s aggressive style, Topuria focused on power punching and counterpunching techniques.

Moreover, he practiced Brazilian jiu-jitsu, along with medicine ball drills, endurance circuits, and relentless striking drills

A day after the big event, Topuria took to Instagram to congratulate Gaethje on his big win.

“Justin, congratulations. You said you’d leave your mark on my face… and you did,” his post said. “I’ll heal. I’ll rest. And I’ll return stronger, wiser, and far more dangerous. And trust me… this story between us is far from over. We will have our rematch.”

If there is an immediate rematch, who would you be rooting for?

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Written by

Avantika Das

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi