The UFC had another big year in 2024. We had five title changes and one vacated title won, some shocking upsets, incredible fights and unforgettable moments. But now we look ahead to 2025 and with a seemingly endless stock of young talent, it’s shaping up to be an even bigger year.
So, just like last year, we’re going to do our best to look a year in advance and predict the UFC champions in all 11 weight classes. Of course, this can always be tricky due to things like injuries and other factors. For example, we currently still have a heavyweight champion and interim heavyweight champion. But we’re going to try and get as close as possible, while also seeing how we did with our 2024 picks.
Flyweight
Alexandre Pantoja
There are a handful of champions in the UFC right now who have been so dominant there is simply no reason to believe they will be relinquishing their titles any time soon. Alexandre Pantoja is certainly on that list. After capturing the championship in 2023, Pantoja had a nice 2024, defending it twice in dominant fashion. He closed out the year by submitting Kai Asakura just a month ago and finds himself among the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world. The biggest threat to this division might just be Pantoja feeling he has cleaned out the division and moving on to another class.
Current Champion: Alexandre Pantoja
2024 Pick: Brandon Moreno
Other Fighters to Watch: Brandon Moreno, Amir Albazi, Manel Kape
Bantamweight
Umar Nurmagomedov
The bantamweight championship has bounced around quite a bit in recent years. Sean O’Malley dropped the title to Merab Dvalishvili in 2024 and now it is set to be defended this month. Umar Nurmagomedov will be the challenger in that fight, but he will also be the betting favorite. At a perfect 18-0, he is a grappling machine who overwhelms and overpowers every opponent in his way. While the champ has a similar resume and style, Nurmagomedov seems destined to be the king of this class.
Current Champion: Merab Dvalishvili
2024 Pick: Sean O’Malley
Other Fighters to Watch: Petr Yan, Deiveson Figueiredo, Cory Sandhagen
Featherweight
Ilia Topuria
Add Ilia Topuria to the list with Pantoja. All the champ did in 2024 was knock out former dominant champions. He finished Alexander Volkanovski, the former top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world, to capture the title in February. Then in October, he knocked out Max Holloway to retain. Now with a perfect 16-0 record and 14 finishes, there just doesn’t seem to be anyone in the featherweight division who can stand with the champ. But I would certainly expect the UFC to try and find another exciting challenge.
Current Champion: Ilia Topuria
2024 Pick: Alexander Volkanovski
Other Fighters to Watch: Diego Lopes, Movsar Evloev, Alexander Volkanovski
Lightweight
Islam Makhachev
Not much else needs to be said about this one. His name does the work for me. But I will say Islam Makhachev successfully defended his lightweight crown by submitting Dustin Poirier in 2024. He is also the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world at the moment. If there is anyone who can take the title from him, I have not seen them in action yet. He will however, defend the title this month against Arman Tsarukyan. The champ is currently a -360 betting favorite.
Current Champion: Islam Makhachev
2024 Pick: Islam Makhachev
Other Fighters to Watch: Arman Tsarukyan, Charles Oliveira, Mateusz Gamrot
Welterweight
Shavkat Rakhmonov
It almost worked last year, so we’re running it back. Shavkat Rakhmonov has been on a war path to the welterweight title. So much so that he was scheduled to face the Belal Muhammad to the belt last month. However, the champ was forced to pull out of the fight with an infection, so instead, Rakhmonov defeated top contender Ian Garry to remain undefeated. Rakhmonov figures to be next in line whenever Muhammad can return to the octagon and if he is able to notch his 20th career win, he’ll be taking UFC gold home with him.
Current Champion: Belal Muhammad
2024 Pick: Shavkat Rakhmonov
Other Fighters to Watch: Jack Della Maddalena, Joaquin Buckley, Ian Garry
Middleweight
Khamzat Chimaev
This is probably the trickiest division to pick. Current champ Dricus Du Plessis is scheduled to defend against former champ Sean Strickland next month. It seems unlikely Israel Adesanya would get another title shot right away, so Khamzat Chimaev figures to be next in line. And if he gets a title shot, he is a nightmare matchup for either opponent. Chimaev blends striking and grappling perfectly, to the tune of a 14-0 record with six knockouts and six submissions. For a while, fans expected him to be the future welterweight champ, but since moving up to 185 lbs., all he has done is take out one contender after another.
Current Champion: Dricus Du Plessis
2024 Pick: Dricus Du Plessis
Other Fighters to Watch: Sean Strickland, Nassourdine Imavov, Caio Borralho
Light Heavyweight
Alex Pereira
At this point I’m not even sure if another light heavyweight wants to get into the octagon with Alex Pereira. Nobody in the UFC had a bigger year in 2024 than the light heavyweight champ, who successfully defended his title three times, with three knockouts. Pereira is becoming one of those superstars in this sport who captivate the audience with their walkout alone. There’s not much left for him to prove in the light heavyweight division, so a super fight at heavyweight could be next, which only increases his odds of holding this title through the end of the year.
Current Champion: Alex Pereira
2024 Pick: Jamahal Hill
Other Fighters to Watch: Magomed Ankalaev, Aleksander Rakic, Carlos Ulberg
Heavyweight
Tom Aspinall
Last year, I made this same pick under the assumption that we would not see Jon Jones back in the octagon. I was wrong. Jones defended his title by dominating Stipe Miocic in November. I’m going to continue to play the odds and say we do not see Jones return again in 2025. Meanwhile, Tom Aspinall might just be setting the not-very-coveted record of longest reigning interim champion ever. He won the title by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich in 2023 and defended it by knocking out Curtis Blaydes last year. Much has been made of Jones being seemingly unwilling to fight Aspinall and it will be interesting to see how the UFC handles that situation. Again, I would bet on that fight not happening and Aspinall ending the year as the true heavyweight champ.
Current Champion: Jon Jones
2024 Pick: Tom Aspinall
Other Fighters to Watch: Cyril Gane, Alexander Volkov, Jailton Almeida
Women’s Strawweight
Zhang Weili
See: Islam Makhachev. Zhang Weili has dominated since capturing the strawweight title in 2022. Last year, she defended only once, against Yan Xiaonan and coasted to a decision victory against a very tough competitor. Her combination of speed, power and technique put her in another class from everyone the UFC throws at her. She is set to defend her crown again next month and that could be all it takes to hold the title through the year.
Current Champion: Zhang Weili
2024 Pick: Zhang Weili
Other Fighters to Watch: Tatiana Suarez, Virna Jandiroba, Iasmin Lucindo
Women’s Flyweight
Valentina Shevchenko
The only fear of Valentina Shevchenko not being the flyweight champ by the end of the year wold be if she chooses to retire. The longtime champ has been doing this for more than 20 years at this point and after a trilogy of fights with Alexa Grasso, she seemed as though she might be willing to hang up the gloves in the not-too-distant future. Still, she was so dominant in that third meeting that it’s clear she is still the best in the world. So whoever the UFC throws at her next figures to be a heavy underdog.
Current Champion: Valentina Shevchenko
2024 Pick: Valentina Shevchenko
Other Fighters to Watch: Alexa Grasso, Maycee Barber, Rose Namajunas
Women’s Bantamweight
Kayla Harrison
It might seem bold to pick someone with just two UFC fights under her belt to end the year as a champion, but Kayla Harrison is not your average rookie. The Olympic gold medalist in judo has translated her skills perfectly into mixed martial arts, sporting an 18-1 record. She has been completely dominant in her two UFC outings as well, submitting Holly Holm and defeating Ketlen Vieira by a decision. Harrison is a different kind of strong that many of these fighters have never seen before and if she gets a hold of her opponent, whoever they may be, they’re going for a ride. Now it’s just a matter of whether or not she will be given a title shot before the year’s end.
Current Champion: Julianna Pena
2024 Pick: Irene Aldana
Other Fighters to Watch: Raquel Pennington, Ketlen Vieira, Irene Aldana
One way or another, 2025 is sure to be another exciting year for the UFC and fight fans will be able to watch it all on ESPN+.