Aleksandre Topuria set for UFC return after nearly a year away
Aleksandre Topuria is reportedly set to return to the UFC in November, with Santiago Luna lined up as his next opponent in Doha.
Aleksandre Topuria has not competed since defeating Bekzat Almakhan by unanimous decision in November 2025. He is now expected to face Luna at the UFC’s Nov. 21 event in Qatar, although the promotion has yet to officially add the matchup to its card.
The reported fight would give Topuria a chance to build on his 2-0 start in the UFC. Luna, meanwhile, has been trying to make the matchup happen since earlier this year.
Aleksandre Topuria Set to Return After a Long Layoff
Topuria's absence has stretched close to a year, but his time away from competition was not simply about waiting for another UFC booking. The elder Topuria previously explained that he put his own career on hold while helping his brother, Ilia, prepare for major fights.
He chose to focus on those camps rather than pursue his own schedule. Now, his attention is turning back to his own career.
Topuria made his UFC debut with a unanimous decision over Colby Thicknesse before earning another decision win against Almakhan. The reported matchup with Luna would be his third appearance inside the Octagon and his first since November 2025.
Luna enters with an 8-1 record and a 2-1 UFC mark. His most recent fight ended in a submission loss to Bryce Mitchell in June.
Santiago Luna Has Wanted Aleksandre Topuria for Months
Luna first made his intentions clear after beating Angel Pacheco at UFC Mexico in February.
During his post-fight interview, he pointed directly at Topuria and said:
“I want you next so I can finish you.”
The Mexican continued pushing for the matchup in the months that followed.
In a June interview with journalist Carlos Legaspi, Luna claimed the UFC offered Topuria the fight three times and that each offer was rejected. He said he was willing to wait for the matchup rather than accept another opponent.
“The UFC sent him a contract three times and the three times he rejected it.”
That remains Luna's account and has not been independently confirmed by either the UFC or Topuria. The fight is now reportedly in place for Nov. 21. If it is finalized, Luna will finally get the matchup he has been pursuing while Topuria begins the next chapter of his UFC career.
