UFC imposes 180‑day medical suspensions on Ilia Topuria and Alex Pereira after White House bout

Ilia Topuria suffered a serious eye injury during his feather‑weight title fight with Justin Gaethje at the UFC White House event. A ringside doctor advised stopping the bout after round three, but referee Marc Goddard allowed the fight to continue after consulting UFC medical director Dr. Jeff Davidson. Topuria was eventually stopped in round four, losing his title.

The athletic commission later issued 180‑day medical suspensions for both Topuria and fellow UFC star Alex Pereira. Pereira received the same length suspension after a knockout loss to Ciryl Gane, pending additional maxillofacial examinations. The bans keep two of the promotion’s biggest global talents out of competition for at least six months, though clearance from specialists could shorten the period.