Predicting UFC champions at end of 2025
As 2025 gets underway, many fighters have a common New Year's resolution: win a UFC championship. Of course, that dream will come true for only a select few.
Below, theScore's Nick Baldwin predicts who the 11 UFC champions will be at the end of the year.
Flyweight
Current champion: Alexandre Pantoja
Champion at end of 2025: Alexandre Pantoja
It seems as if, at least for now, there's no stopping Pantoja. He eked out a win over Steve Erceg and cruised past Kai Asakura in his two title defenses in 2024. Looking at the next few contenders in line, no one has a particularly good chance of seizing the throne. Pantoja will make it another full calendar year with the 125-pound belt around his waist.
Bantamweight
Current champion: Merab Dvalishvili
Champion at end of 2025: Umar Nurmagomedov
Dvalishvili dominated Sean O'Malley to win the bantamweight title in September, but his first defense is a much bigger challenge - at least on paper. Nurmagomedov has looked like a future champion since his 2021 UFC debut, and stylistically, he should have the upper hand Jan. 18 when he faces Dvalishvili at UFC 311. Whoever wins that fight will be the front-runner to end 2025 as champion (which, yes, means Dvalishvili could ruin my prediction less than three weeks into the year).
Featherweight
Current champion: Ilia Topuria
Champion at end of 2025: Ilia Topuria
The only thing that could prevent Topuria from making it through 2025 with the featherweight title is himself. The champion recently said he wanted to move up to lightweight for his next fight, but a lot of what's said in this sport doesn't end up coming to fruition. The safe bet is Topuria decides to stay at 145 pounds and not vacate the belt - because I believe most would argue that's the smart call for his career - and has no problem beating Alexander Volkanovski, Diego Lopes or whoever the UFC puts in front of him.
Lightweight
Current champion: Islam Makhachev
Champion at end of 2025: Islam Makhachev
Makhachev has the biggest test of his title reign coming up at UFC 311 - a rematch with Arman Tsarukyan - but it's still not enough for me to hop off the bandwagon. Makhachev is the top pound-for-pound fighter in the promotion for a reason and will still be sitting on the 155-pound throne in December.
Welterweight
Current champion: Belal Muhammad
Champion at end of 2025: Shavkat Rakhmonov
I picked Rakhmonov to end 2024 as welterweight champion, and I'm going back to the well. Truth be told, I could've been right had Muhammad not pulled out of his December title defense against Rakhmonov because of an infection in his foot. But that's OK; Rakhmonov's coronation will just come a year later than expected. His less-dominant-than-usual performance against Ian Machado Garry at UFC 310 did make me question whether Muhammad could in fact beat him, but the guy is 19-0 for a reason. I can't pick against him.
Middleweight
Current champion: Dricus Du Plessis
Champion at end of 2025: Khamzat Chimaev
This time last year, Sean Strickland was scheduled to defend the middleweight title against Du Plessis, and I picked Chimaev to end the year as champion. Now, Du Plessis is scheduled to defend the belt in a rematch with Strickland, and I'm still picking Chimaev to end the year as champion. Maybe I'll learn my lesson, but if you throw something at the wall enough times, eventually it'll stick, right?
On a serious note, this year just seems like a perfect setup for Chimaev to finally win UFC gold. Last year, Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker were in the mix, too. But now, nothing is standing in the way of Chimaev facing the Du Plessis-Strickland winner. And for my money, he beats them both.
Light heavyweight
Current champion: Alex Pereira
Champion at end of 2025: Alex Pereira
The only other person I'd consider picking to hold the light heavyweight title at the end of 2025 is Magomed Ankalaev. In fact, I thought that was the direction I would go in. But something just tells me Pereira will fend off Ankalaev and make it through yet another year with the 205-pound strap. He's 37 years old and putting on spectacular performances. None of it makes sense, but this is a wacky sport. Chama?
Heavyweight
Current champion: Jon Jones
Champion at end of 2025: Tom Aspinall
The only two ways Jones could end 2025 as the heavyweight champion are if he does a complete 180 on retirement (i.e., decides to fight a few more times) or if he agrees to fight Aspinall, wins, and slow rolls his eventual departure. Otherwise, this year will be Aspinall's crowning moment - finally.
My official prediction is the UFC promotes Aspinall to undisputed champion after Jones relinquishes the title, then the Englishman defends the throne against Ciryl Gane.
Strawweight
Current champion: Zhang Weili
Champion at end of 2025: Tatiana Suarez
Strawweight feels like a two-horse race between Zhang and Suarez this year. And they just happen to be scheduled to fight Feb. 8 at UFC 312. Convenient, right? I'm leaning toward Suarez to win the title and keep it through the end of 2025, but this matchup could easily go the other way. It might not be the only time these two square off in the Octagon.
Women's flyweight
Current champion: Valentina Shevchenko
Champion at end of 2025: Valentina Shevchenko
Shevchenko's second title reign could last awhile based on her performance against Alexa Grasso last fall. Her next opponent, Manon Fiorot, won't be an easy out, but Shevchenko's high-level grappling will likely come in handy in that matchup. Beyond Fiorot, it's hard to see anyone giving Shevchenko much trouble. Up-and-coming flyweight Natalia Silva will be in the mix sooner rather than later, but that feels like a 2026 problem.
Women's bantamweight
Current champion: Julianna Pena
Champion at end of 2025: Kayla Harrison
This is the most confident I am that a title will change hands in 2025. Harrison had high expectations when she signed with UFC a year ago, and she's delivered so far with wins over Holly Holm and Ketlen Vieira. Barring unforeseen circumstances, Harrison will defeat Pena and hold onto the belt for quite a while.