Jun 28, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Ilia Topuria (red gloves) prior to the fight against Charles Oliveira (blue gloves) during UFC 317 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

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Deleted Social Media Post Reportedly Confirms Ilia Topuria’s Next Opponent!

Social media has become the unofficial headquarters for breaking sports news these days. Fighters, managers, and even fans love dropping hints about upcoming bouts on Instagram and Twitter. Sometimes they share too much information and quickly hit the delete button. But the internet never forgets, and eagle-eyed fans always grab screenshots before posts disappear into the digital void.

UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria finds himself at the center of one such social media mishap. His manager apparently got a little too comfortable with an Instagram post that revealed more than intended. The Georgian-Spanish fighter has been riding high since capturing the lightweight title in spectacular fashion. He knocked out Charles Oliveira cold in the first round at UFC 317 back in June, sending shockwaves through the division.

Ilia Topruia’s Manager’s Deleted Reveals His Next Opponent

Lukasz Orzel, Topuria’s manager, made what appears to be a costly social media error early Thursday morning. He posted something on his Instagram story that seemingly confirmed who the champion would face next. The post vanished fast, but not before some sharp-eyed fans managed to capture screenshots. According to these images, the next opponent won’t be Paddy Pimblett or Arman Tsarukyan as many expected.

Instead, Justin Gaethje appears to be getting the nod for a title shot at UFC 322. The event is reportedly scheduled for November 15th at Madison Square Garden in New York City. This makes perfect sense from a business perspective, considering MSG is one of the UFC’s most prestigious venues. Gaethje has been vocal about wanting another crack at lightweight gold, even threatening to retire if he didn’t get the next title opportunity. The former interim champion seems to be getting his wish, though neither the UFC nor the fighters have made any official announcements yet.

Ilia Topuria’s manager posted this. Looks like Justin Gaethje vs Ilia is next at UFC 322 pic.twitter.com/ASOTE6ITw0
— Dovy🔌 (@DovySimuMMA) August 27, 2025

Gaethje brings serious credentials to this potential title fight. He’s been around the top of the division for years and owns victories over some elite competition. His most recent win came against Rafael Fiziev, where he showed he still has plenty left in the tank at 36 years old. The American has tried twice before to capture undisputed UFC gold, but both attempts ended in submission losses. Khabib Nurmagomedov caught him in a triangle choke at UFC 254, while Charles Oliveira finished him with a rear-naked choke at UFC 274.

This also means that the probability of a fight between Arman Tsarukyan and Paddy Pimblett is at an all-time high. But, nothing is official as of yet. Fans, and even fighters are waiting to see who will be Ilia Topruia’s first title defense at lightweight!

(Image Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie – Imagn Images)

Ilia Topuria

Justin Gaethje

UFC 322

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!