Dana White Pumps the Brakes on Ilia Topuria’s Next Fight, Calls Spain Title Defense a “No-Brainer”

Las Vegas — UFC CEO Dana White isn’t ready to lock in Ilia Topuria’s first lightweight title defense just yet despite growing speculation and a very public faceoff with Paddy Pimblett. Topuria (undefeated) claimed the 155-pound belt with a stunning knockout of Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 in June. Pimblett immediately confronted him in the Octagon, and rumor mills linked the grudge match to January as the UFC launches its new broadcast deal. White, however, isn’t biting.

“We’re always exploring lots of different things… obviously it’s a fun fight,” White told TNT Fight Sports. “But as of right now, no, we haven’t made that fight. We’re trying to figure out what’s next for Topuria.”

Pimblett’s Place in Line

Pimblett, ranked No. 6 at lightweight, is 7–0 in the UFC and brings serious heat from a years-long feud with Topuria. Still, several higher-ranked contenders stand between him and a traditional title shot, leaving the door open for either a merit-based eliminator or a fast track based on star power and storylines.

No Green Lights (Yet) for Lerone Murphy, Either

White also doused talk that unbeaten featherweight Lerone Murphy has a title date with Alexander Volkanovski locked in.

“You want me to make, like, 10 fights right here?” White said, reiterating that “everything is possible,” but none of those bouts are finalized.

Spain (and Georgia) on the Map

If there’s one clear positive for Team Topuria, it’s geography. White called the idea of staging a Topuria title defense in Spain ideally at Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu a “no-brainer.” He said the same about bringing a Merab Dvalishvili bantamweight title defense to Georgia.

The UFC isn’t rushing announcements. Topuria’s opponent and timeline remain fluid, but a blockbuster homecoming in Spain is firmly on the table.