Ilia Topuria shares facial injury update after hiding UFC wounds for six weeks

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Ilia Topuria has shown the extent of his recovery from brutal facial injuries caused by Justin Gaethje, revealing his face without sunglasses for the first time in six weeks.

Topuria suffered the first defeat of his career in June, when he retired on his stool after four rounds of action at the White House. The Spanish-Georgian was headlining an unprecedented UFC event on the South Lawn, defending the lightweight title against Gaethje.

And the American outstruck Topuria so severely that the latter was left with cuts and bruises all over his face prior to the stoppage. Topuria even tried to hide his face as he was escorted away from the cage by Aleksandre – his coach and brother.

Ilia Topuria (centre) after his defeat by Justin Gaethje at the White House (AFP/Getty)

Topuria continued to hide his face in the ensuing weeks, sporting sunglasses whenever he ventured out in public, including while celebrating Spain’s victory in the men’s World Cup final earlier in July.

Now, however, Topuria has appeared on camera in a series of photos and videos, with his facial injuries appearing almost fully healed.

In the images and clips, the 29-year-old’s face did seem somewhat swollen still, with a series of small lumps on his eyelid possibly stemming from stitches, but it was otherwise visibly healthier than in June.

Topuria’s next move is unclear, with Gaethje saying the former lightweight and featherweight champion does not deserve an instant rematch.

Topuria has been linked to a long-awaited grudge match with Paddy Pimblett, whom he famously confronted in a hotel in 2022 after accusing the Liverpudlian of posting anti-Georgian tweets.

Pimblett, 31, suffered his first UFC loss in January as he was comprehensively put outstruck and outpointed by Gaethje in an interim-title fight. However, “Paddy The Baddy” bounced back earlier in July by submitting Benoit Saint-Denis inside one minute.

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