Ilia Topuria face unrecognizable, rushed to hospital following Justin Gaethje defeat, will the former champion get a rematch (via Getty)Ilia Topuria has received encouraging news after suffering the first defeat of his professional MMA career. The former two-division UFC champion lost his lightweight title to Justin Gaethje in the main event of UFC Freedom 250, which took place on the White House lawn in Washington, D.C. The fight was stopped after four brutal rounds when Topuria’s corner decided he could not continue. Following the contest, UFC CEO Dana White revealed that he believed Topuria had suffered a broken orbital bone around his eye.A new report from Spanish media outlet AS Mas Deportes has now confirmed those concerns. According to sources close to Topuria, the Georgian-Spanish fighter did suffer an orbital fracture during the fight. However, the injury is not expected to require surgery. The update comes as a major relief for fans who were worried after seeing the visible damage Topuria endured against Gaethje. While he is expected to spend some time recovering, the latest medical assessment suggests that the injury is less serious than initially feared.Ilia Topuria avoids surgery and vows to return strongerQuestions about Ilia Topuria face condition emerged immediately after the fight. Justin Gaethje delivered a remarkable performance to capture the lightweight title and hand Topuria the first loss of his MMA career. Throughout the contest, Gaethje’s relentless pressure and powerful striking gradually wore down the previously unbeaten champion.After the event, Dana White stated that he believed Topuria had broken an orbital bone. The latest report from Spain has supported that assessment. Sources close to the fighter reportedly confirmed that the fracture occurred during the bout. The positive news is that doctors do not believe surgery will be necessary.Although the injury will likely force Topuria to remain sidelined for a period, avoiding surgery could significantly shorten his recovery process. UFC fans will now wait to learn how long the former champion will need before returning to competition.Topuria addressed the defeat on social media one day after the event. He praised Gaethje for delivering on his promise to leave visible damage and admitted that his vision was affected early in the fight. The former champion explained that he entered the bout after an excellent training camp and felt fully prepared. Despite the result, he accepted that Gaethje was the better fighter on the night.Topuria also made it clear that he has no intention of letting this defeat define his career. He said he plans to recover, learn from the experience, and return as a stronger and more dangerous fighter. The former lightweight champion ended his message by promising fans that his rivalry with Gaethje is not over and expressing confidence that a rematch will happen in the future.For now, Topuria’s main priority remains recovery. With surgery ruled out, he can begin focusing on healing before setting his sights on another run toward UFC gold.