Feb 17, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Ilia Topuria celebrates his championship victory against Alexander Volkanovski during UFC 298 at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

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UFC Report: Ilia Topuria Out Of Running For UFC’s First Paramount Event

Big promotional launches need big stars to match the hype and expectations. The UFC’s partnership with Paramount represents a significant shift in how the organization reaches fans. January cards typically set the tone for the entire year, establishing momentum and creating storylines. UFC 324 was supposed to be that statement event, kicking off a new era with maximum impact. Everyone assumed Ilia Topuria would headline that landmark card given his recent momentum and star power.

The lightweight champion has been on an incredible run, knocking out legends and making it look easy. But UFC reports confirm Ilia Topuria is out of running for UFC‘s first Paramount event, shifting his return timeline dramatically and leaving the promotion scrambling to find a suitable replacement for their inaugural broadcast partnership card.

Ilia Topuria Out Of The UFC 324 Card

Alvaro Colmenero, a journalist known for breaking news related to Topuria, revealed that things have changed significantly behind the scenes. Colmenero confirmed Topuria will not fight in January and doubted a February appearance as well. If you ask him, Topuria will likely return sometime in Spring 2026 instead.

“Things have changed a lot. There have been private situations, and you’re going to be very surprised at what’s going to happen in lightweight. I can confirm that Ilia will not fight in January. February? I doubt it a lot. If you ask me, I think Ilia will fight in spring.”

🚨 Ilia Topuria will NOT fight in January 2026, per @KOlmeneroMMA

"Things have changed a lot. There have been private situations, and you're going to be very surprised at what's going to happen in lightweight.

I can confirm that Ilia will not fight in January. February? I… pic.twitter.com/ruOeEjc4Fe
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) November 26, 2025

That’s a massive delay from what many expected. This gives leeway to the recent report by Ariel Helwani, where he stated that the UFC is targeting Amanda Nunes vs Kayla Harrison for the first paramount card.

Topuria hasn’t fought since June 2024 when he knocked out Charles Oliveira to capture the lightweight title. That was a violent finish that cemented his status as one of the most dangerous strikers in the sport. But nearly a full year without defending your championship creates problems, especially when other contenders are actively winning fights and building their cases.

What This Means For The Division

Topuria recently said he has nothing on the horizon, which at the time seemed like typical fighter misdirection. Turns out he was actually being honest about his uncertain timeline. The 27 year old champion’s absence creates chaos in a division already packed with talent and deserving contenders who want their chance at gold.

The UFC now faces several difficult questions about how to handle the lightweight title picture. Does Paddy Pimblett, who Topuria mentioned wanting to fight, still make sense as his next opponent? Does Justin Gaethje get one last crack at championship gold before potentially calling it a career? Does Arman Tsarukyan, the rightful number one contender, get the shot anyway even if Topuria isn’t available? Or does the champion skip past everyone and pursue a third division title at welterweight? All are options, but it is a matter of time what UFC and Topuria decide.

(Image Credit: Gary A. Vasquez – Imagn Images)

Ilia Topuria

Paramount+

UFC 324

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!