What must have been a devastating moment for Ilia Topuria is now being auctioned off by the UFC. After Justin Gaethje defeated ‘El Matador’ in the biggest upset in recent UFC history, the promotion launched an online bid on June 16 to sell the red stool Topuria was accused of abandoning after the fourth round of his fight against Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14.

UFC Collectibles, where the auction is still live, currently lists the highest bid for the stool at $9,100. However, that figure does not include the buyer’s premium, which the winning bidder must pay in addition to the final bid. With the premium factored in, the total currently stands at $10,010. The bid has climbed significantly from the $4,700, with 36 bids reported by Bloody Elbow just four days after the auction went live.

According to the site, each new bid must be at least $100 higher than the current highest bid. While the bidding has already soared well beyond what most UFC fans would be willing to pay, there are still more than eight days remaining before the auction concludes on Tuesday, June 30, 2026. So far, a total of 70 bids have been placed on the stool, which the site describes as measuring approximately 320 mm × 560 mm.

Although international fans are also eligible to purchase the stool, they will be responsible for any applicable customs fees and import duties imposed by their respective countries. If the stool is a bit beyond your budget, the site is also offering several collectibles from the UFC Freedom 250 event, ranging from signed event posters to a signed replica championship belt presented at the event.

While UFC CEO Dana White hasn’t explicitly said anything about Topuria’s stool, he did mention after the event that sales for the event’s merchandise have broken previous records. It shows the enormous success the event was. And with eight days left in the auction, bids for the stool will likely continue to rise. 

But don’t worry, souvenirs and other products on the collectible site aren’t just limited to the White House event. People can find souvenirs from other fights and events as well to bid on. While $10K is a crazy amount for a stool, the trading card market for UFC fighters fetches even bigger amounts. 

Sports Illustrated recently revealed that a PSA 10 2013 Topps UFC Bloodlines Autographed Conor McGregor rookie card sold for $92,720. As for Topuria, there are clouds of doubt about what’s next for the former UFC two-division champion. 

Ilia Topuria wants a rematch, but Justin Gaethje has other ideas

When Dana White was asked about Topuria quitting on the stool, he quickly dismissed the notion. However, opting not to continue after sustaining significant facial injuries was difficult to overlook. Fortunately for Topuria, the damage was not severe enough to require surgery, allowing him to return to action sooner rather than later. And when he does, his close friend, Pablo Motos, has claimed that Topuria is eager to secure a rematch. 

“This morning I was with Ilia. He has fractures in his orbital bones [and] in his nose,” Motos told El Hormiguero. “This morning they were treating his wounds, and he still couldn’t open his eyes properly… He was telling me, ‘I’d love to do the rematch in Spain with Gaethje.’”

The UFC, of course, has never hosted an event in Spain, but given Topuria’s pull before his loss, it seemed inevitable. However, Justin Gaethje has made his stance on a potential rematch very clear. While appearing on Joe Rogan’s podcast recently, ‘The Highlight’ dismissed the notion, stating that he made Ilia Topuria quit on the stool, so there’s no need for a rematch. With that, Arman Tsarukyan is next in line for a title shot. 

From the looks of things, while Ilia Topuria is recovering from his injuries, the promotion and the division are moving on. So, it will be interesting to see who he faces on his comeback and what the future looks like for him.