Ilia Topuria has broken his silence following the first loss of his professional MMA career.
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And while the former UFC lightweight champion is dealing with significant injuries after his defeat to Justin Gaethje, he is already looking ahead to a rematch.
Topuria released a statement following Sunday's UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House, congratulating Gaethje on the victory while revealing just how difficult the fight became.
According to Topuria, he lost vision in both eyes during the bout.
The previously unbeaten star suffered a fourth-round stoppage loss after his corner halted the fight. By that point, Gaethje had taken control of the contest and was ahead on all three judges' scorecards, according to ESPN.
The defeat marked the end of Topuria's undefeated run and cost him the UFC lightweight championship.
Following the fight, UFC president Dana White revealed that Topuria was transported directly to a hospital for evaluation.
White told reporters that his primary concern was Topuria's health and recovery, adding that the fighter appeared to have suffered significant facial damage. While White speculated that an orbital injury was possible, he emphasized that no official diagnosis had been confirmed.
For his part, Topuria made it clear he has no plans to dwell on the loss.
In his statement, he vowed to return "stronger, wiser and far more dangerous" once he recovers.
He also delivered a direct message to Gaethje.
"And trust me," Topuria wrote, "this story between us is far from over. We will have our rematch."
