With the UFC underway in 2025, it seems that we are up for another fascinating year of championship fights. With multiple new champions compared to last year, and more and more up-and-comers ready for their shot, the sport is primed for more shocking twists and turns as the year progresses.
So, in light of the new year being a month and a half old, let's predict who will remain champion by the end of 2025, and who may falter under the brightest of lights come 2026.
Strawweight
Current Champion: Zhang Weili
Prediction: Zhang Weili
After her performance on February 8th against #1 title contender Tatiana Suarez, Zhang gives me no reason not to have her as the champion come the end of 2025. She is the most complete female fighter in the UFC in my opinion, and has shown no signs of slowing down. She out-wrestled the "best wrestler in the division" in Suarez, and proved once again that she is unbeatable when she is on top of her game.
Women's Flyweight
Current Champion: Valentina Shevchenko
My Prediction: Manon Fiorot
Now before I say anything, I do want to say that I think Valentina Shevchenko is one of the greatest female fighters in UFC history, and has proven herself so many times that she is among the best to ever do it. However, I think if there is anyone who can shock the world and take Shevchenko's Flyweight throne, it's Manon Fiorot.
Fiorot is so skilled in all aspects of MMA. Her jab is lethal, her Karate/muy tai-style striking is world-class, and her grappling and wrestling is severely underrated. Her biggest weapon, though, is her fight IQ. She never rushes things but rather is extremely technical and hard to adjust to. If she is given a shot against Shevchenko, which she should after her win against Erin Blanchfield, her striking ability and technical brilliance will prove to be too much for Valentina to handle.
Women's Bantamweight
Current Champion: Julianna Peña
My Prediction: Kayla Harrison
Out of all my predictions in this article, this may be the one I am most confident about. Of course, Peña is a great fighter who has beaten the best of the best (including the women's UFC GOAT Amanda Nuñes), but she is 35 years old and barely held on in her championship fight against Raquel Pennington.
Kayla Harrison should absolutely be next in line to fight for the belt, and I think she will capitalize on her opportunity. Her wrestling is next to none as we all know, and her striking will only get better with time. I think Harrison, who is still in her prime, will overwhelm Peña and dominate the fight, whenever it happens.
Men's Flyweight
Current Champion: Alexandre Pantoja
My Prediction: Alexandre Pantoja
Though it seems that every opponent Alexandre Pantoja faces gives him trouble at some point, Pantoja never seems to truly falter, which is why he will remain champion of the Flyweights through 2025. He does whatever he needs to do to beat his opponents. Whether on the feet or on the ground, you will hit him multiple times, but his steel chin and calm demeanor will eventually be your downfall.
Though the likes of Kai Kara-France and Tatsuro Taira excite me, I think Pantoja will handle business as usual and show the world why he is the true champion of this division.
Men's Bantamweight
Current Champion: Merab Dvalishvili
My Prediction: Merab Dvalishvili
After defending his title in dominant fashion against Usmar Nurmagomedov, Merab Dvalishvili has cemented himself as an absolute force to be wrecked with.
I mean, the guy had unlimited stamina! His relentless pressure and inability to get tired in a fight are completely overwhelming and overpowering to any opponent he faces. He is in your face during every second of every round, never faltering once the entire fight. The scariest part? His pride and purpose. A fighter who is fighting for the pride of their country, like Merab is fighting for his native country of Georgia, is a dangerous man, with a heart unmatched.
Whoever faces him next better hope that they somehow land a lucky shot on Merab, because otherwise, he may be unbeatable for the time being.
Featherweight
Current Champion: Ilia Topuria
My Prediction: Ilia Topuria
Ilia Topuria is an absolute beast. His power is unlike anything we have ever seen in the flyweight division. It is so good in fact that we haven't even seen his grappling, which he says is his best attribute!
His title defense against Max Holloway was an absolute masterclass, as he outstruck one of the best strikers in UFC history. At only 28 years old, he is the total package and could rule this division for years to come. The only way, in my eyes, he is not the Featherweight champion by the end of 2025 is if he moves up a weight class and fights for the Lightweight belt.
Lightweight
Current Champion: Islam Makhachev
My Prediction: Islam Makhachev
This is an absolute no-brainer for me. I just cannot imagine anyone, whether among the lightweight division or any other division, beating Islam Makhachev right now.
Makhachev is, in my opinion, the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the sport. His striking improves with every fight he is in, and his grappling is by far the most polished in the UFC. With no one in the division giving him much of a challenge, Makhachev should absolutely be given the opportunity to become a multi-belt champion. Otherwise, the rest of the Lightweights don't stand much of a chance.
Welterweight
Current Champion: Belal Muhammad
My Prediction: Shavkat Rakhmonov
This division is interesting, and I think could prove to be very different in terms of the rankings layout by the end of 2025. Belal Muhammad is a great fighter, overwhelming longtime champion Leon Edwards in his last fight for the belt. However, I think Shavkat Rakhmonov's time is now, and when given the chance, can make his way to the Welterweight throne.
Rakhmonov is an extremely talented fighter who can beat you in just about any way, and fast. With devastating kicks, one of the best ground-and-pound striking in the sport, and the ability to submit you with multiple different techniques, Rakhmonov is a dominant force that I think will crumble Muhammad.
Middleweight
Current Champion: Dricus du Plessis
My Prediction: Dricus du Plessis
Dricus du Plessis finally ended his rivalry once and for all against Sean Strickland by putting on a striking masterclass in UFC 312 just a couple of weeks ago. He showed once again that his unique striking technique is effective and powerful, and sustainable through 5 full rounds. If du Plessis puts on performances like this, I do not see him losing this year.
An absolute monster for his weight class, I do see a world where he moves up and fights for the Light Heavyweight belt, but a fight against up-and-coming star Khamzat Chimaev is looming and could prove to be his biggest test to date. If he can find a way to beat Chimaev, then I don't see him losing his belt anytime soon.
Light Heavyweight
Current Champion: Alex Pereira
My Prediction: Alex Pereira
I mean, how could you not have Poatan as the Light Heavyweight champion? Alex Pereira might be one of the most powerful strikers the sport has ever seen, showing time and time again that no matter who you are, he will strike you down until your either asleep or the fight is stopped by the official.
The only thing we haven't seen from Pereira is how he responds when up against a grapple-first style fighter. However, we will be seeing this for the first time on March 8th at UFC 313 when he takes on Magomed Ankalaev. Ankalaev will surely waste no time testing Pereira's takedown defense, but I think Pereira is too good to allow Ankalaev to get him to the ground. I think Poatan rolls through Ankalaev and remains the champion by the end of 2025.
Heavyweight
Current Champion: Jon Jones
My Prediction: Tom Aspinall?
This is by far, the hardest division to predict. I think the fate of this division comes down to whether or not Jon Jones retires by the end of the year. I do think we see Jones fight interim Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall at some point this year, but the thing is, I don't think the champion will be decided by that fight.
Hear me out for a second. The reason I am predicting Aspinall to be the champion is not because I think he will beat Jones, it's because I do not see Jones in the UFC at the end of the year. I think that if Jones and Aspinall fight, Jones would win, but I also think Jones will retire after that fight. As a result of this, I think Aspinall will get another shot at the belt against a different opponent and win it that way.
Basically, if Jones does not retire this year, I think he remains the champion, but since I do not see that happening, I think Aspinall will be the champion by the end of 2025.
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Catch you next time!
-Matt Hylen
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