The mixed martial arts (MMA) world witnessed one of the bloodiest fights in recent memory last night (Fri., Nov. 29, 2025) at WOW 24 LIVE on UFC Fight Pass from Vitoria, Spain, and the canvas might never be the same.

‘El Matador’ hasn’t fought since he successfully moved up to the lightweight division and won the title in June after vacating his featherweight belt. A recent update stated that Topuria wouldn’t be fighting on the UFC’s first big event of 2026, which many believed he was being saved for.

Max Holloway has shown empathy for Ilia Topuria as the UFC lightweight champ will not compete in early 2026 due to personal issues.

There might be more beef or mainstream appeal for Topuria vs. Pimblett (23-3 MMA, 7-0 UFC), but former UFC champion and current color commentator Cruz thinks "El Matador" against Tsarukyan is the best skill-for-skill pairing at 155 pounds.

Paddy Pimblett is planning on having a 2026 for the ages. On Thanksgiving, the UFC announced that Pimblett will take on Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title at UFC 324. This is Pimblett’s first UFC title shot, and “The Baddy” is reveling in continuing to prove his doubters wrong.

Ilia Topuria and Cristiano Ronaldo are under the umbrella of a Spain-based MMA promotion with the latter delivering big shareholder news.

Topuria captured the lightweight title in his lone 2025 appearance with a brutal knockout of Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 in June. Topuria vacated the featherweight title in hopes to fight Makhachev for the 155-pound belt, but Makhachev had the same idea of making his own history.

New UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria is still awaiting word on his first title defense but there are a lot of signs pointing towards an eventual showdown with Paddy Pimblett. It doesn’t hurt that Topuria and Pimblett have engaged in a very public war of words not to mention a physical altercation that broke out between them at a UFC event in London back in 2022.