After resolving several personal and legal issues that had kept him out of competition, Ilia "El Matador" Topuria has officially confirmed his return to the octagon. In a recent post with training video, Topuria declared "The Champ is back!", which ignited speculation in the MMA community about a possible clash for the unified lightweight title against Justin Gaethje at the historic event UFC White House scheduled for June 2026. The undisputed champion had been absent since mid-2025 due to non-sporting issues, but his statement suggests that he is ready to compete again and retake the lead in the division.