Jon Anik believes Ilia Topuria is ‘unproven’ at lightweight despite biggest of all time talk

UFC commentator Jon Anik has shared his thoughts on how Ilia Topuria will bounce back from his first MMA loss.

The Spanish superstar entered UFC Freedom 250 with a 17-0 record and the lightweight title he won by brutally knocking out Charles Oliveira in June 2025.

Nevertheless, Ilia Topuria was brutalized by interim 155lb champion Justin Gaethje as his first defense resulted in a fourth-round TKO defeat on the White House last month.

After losing his belt and undefeated record, what’s next for Ilia Topuria?

Jon Anik is happy to see how Ilia Topuria bounces back

Ilia Topuria is regarded by some as among the best fighters in MMA history at just 29 years old.

‘El Matador’ knocked out Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski during his featherweight title run.

After becoming a two-weight champion by putting Charles Oliveira to sleep, Topuria looked set to proceed his dominance within the 155lb division.

 Now that he’s suffered an upset loss to Justin Gaethje, Jon Anik is keen to see what happens next.

“I believe this may probably be more interesting to see how Ilia Topuria comes out of the opposite side of this,” the UFC broadcaster told Submission Radio.

“Whatever his goals might need been internally when it comes to legacy and when he was going to retire, that undeniably has shifted because now the main target is on regaining a title he was not successfully capable of defend, in a weight class during which he’s going to be relinquishing size to quite a lot of these guys.”

Anik is backing Topuria to beat physical disadvantages and return to the highest of the game within the near future.

He added: “Size does matter sooner or later on this equation, but he’s a mental giant, in my view. He has just tremendous aura and mystique. I get starstruck around Ilia Topuria. This guy walks right into a room and you understand it, although he’s shorter than me.

“I believe he’ll come back strong against any opponent. I suppose what I lean into, when it comes to the martial arts, is Gaethje talking about him as possibly the most effective one-round fighter of all time or first-round fighter of all time.

“So, I believe there’s so much that he can draw from it just when it comes to how he attacks the early portions of the fight.

“You possibly can’t just get jabbed up, but Kenny Florian and other people have called Topuria the best MMA fighter that they’ve seen. And at his best, possibly he’s that. But at lightweight, he’s unproven, and he’ll be able to prove himself at 155, hopefully sooner quite than later.

When will Ilia Topuria return?

Ilia Topuria suffered two broken orbital bones during his loss to Justin Gaethje last month.

The 17-1 fighter’s team has boasted a couple of remarkable recovery that would see Topuria fight again before the tip of 2026.

“Should you saw us in a rematch or in a fight, it might be toward the tip of the 12 months, in December,” Jesus Gallo said.

Topuria hasn’t commented on a comeback himself, but it surely’s believed he wants a direct rematch.

Only time will tell when he returns to the Octagon and which opponent the UFC will select for his return.