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UFC analyst Joe Rogan warned Ilia Topuria against making a critical ‘mistake' in his planned Octagon comeback.

Former UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria hasn't fought since a shocking loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250 earlier this year. After suffering the first defeat of his career, Topuria is taking an indefinite hiatus from fighting, but could potentially return to the cage by year's end.

Topuria looked unrecognizable as he departed the White House lawn in June. His face was busted up by Gaethje's relentless barrage, and Topuria suffered multiple broken orbital bones in the fight.

Some question whether or not Topuria can return to elite form following the Gaethje fight. While Joe Rogan remains confident in Topuria's future, he believes the former champ needs to avoid a similar fate to his former rival.

Joe Rogan warns Ilia Topuria could face similar fate to Alexander Volkanovski after KO

In a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, Rogan was asked about Topuria's future and cautioned the former champion against a hasty comeback.

“It's going to be interesting to see how he rebounds because that was a lot of damage,†Rogan said of Topuria.

“Two fractured orbitals, they had to stop the fight in between rounds, and he took big punches from a guy who's got f—— rocks in his hands. Justin can crack… He's had a couple of months, but he probably needs like six months before he's even sparring again.

“A lot of fighters, a lot of great fighters have made a mistake of coming back too soon,†Rogan continued on Topuria. “Volkanovski is one that I point to all the time, who's arguably the greatest featherweight of all time… That's a crazy thing to do. He took a full head kick, shin to the dome, gets KO'd, and then four months later he's fighting the f—— scariest challenger that he's ever had to face.†(h/t MMA Junkie)

Who should Ilia Topuria fight in his UFC return? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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ONE Championship

A fighter who built his name on toughness alone now stands one win away from the biggest statement of his career.

Har Ling Om headlines ONE SAMURAI 3 against reigning ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion Nadaka in an atomweight kickboxing bout when ONE SAMURAI 3 streams live from Yokohama Buntai in Yokohama, Japan, on Saturday, September 12.

Har Ling Om has won his last two appearances since joining the promotion, defeating Haruyuki Tanitsu and Khunsuk T1 Fight Academy, and a win over a reigning World Champion would immediately vault him into a different tier of recognition. His path to this stage began in Lethwei, Myanmar's toughest striking discipline, a background that shaped the relentless mentality he now brings into every fight.

Nadaka enters as the reigning ONE Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion, a credential that makes this non-title bout a chance for Har Ling Om to make the biggest statement of his career regardless of what is on the line for the champion himself.

Har Ling Om's Lethwei background faces its ultimate test

A win here would put a US$100,000 main roster contract firmly within reach and open the door to a future World Title opportunity of his own, exactly the path he has described as his ultimate goal heading into this stage of his career. A loss, on the other hand, would be a costly setback against a champion who rarely offers second chances.

For Nadaka, the stakes carry their own weight, since dropping a non-title bout to a determined challenger would raise immediate questions heading into future defenses of the belt.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Bare Knuckle FC president David Feldman says they're actively monitoring Michael ‘Venom' Page's UFC status after his contract expired.

UFC welterweight Michael ‘Venom' Page's standing with the promotion remains unknown after his fourth straight win against Nursulton Ruziboev at UFC Paris last weekend. Page, a former Bellator title challenger, was removed from the UFC's media rankings after his latest win, signaling a potential departure from the promotion.

Page's contract expired once he departed the Octagon on Saturday night, and it's uncertain whether or not the UFC will opt to sign him to a new contract. While earning recent victories in the cage, the lackluster, sluggish nature of his wins has turned off many fight fans.

Before Page signed with the UFC in 2023, he fought once in Bare Knuckle FC against Mike Perry in what turned out to be an instant classic fight. If Page isn't brought back to the UFC, his former promotion is interested in a reunion.

David Feldman confirms BKFC ‘interested' in re-signing Michael ‘Venom' Page

In a recent interview with Bloody Elbow, BKFC president David Feldman reacted to Page's reported removal from the UFC roster.

“I don't know if his contract is actually terminated,†Feldman said of Page.

“That's a pretty fast time to get his contract terminated, so I don't wanna make any moves on him yet, and say that's what we want. We would definitely welcome ‘MVP'. When he fought for us with Mike Perry, it was a pretty exciting match, and a lot of people actually thought he won that fight.

“You can't really be boring in BKFC, so it's hard for him to fight that type of fight in BKFC,†Feldman continued on Page. “We would be interested? Yes. I think BKFC will force excitement out of ‘MVP', and I think that the fans would love that.â€

What should be Michael ‘Venom' Page's next move? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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