Bold Predictions for 2025: Chimaev's Comeback, Ngannou's Boxing Bout, and More

2025 is shaping up to be an exciting year for MMA. Here are some bold predictions from ESPN's MMA insiders:

• Khamzat Chimaev will fight more than once in a calendar year: Chimaev has been dealing with health issues and visa problems, but he's now addressing his health more seriously and could potentially fight more regularly in 2025.

• Jon Jones will fight Tom Aspinall, then retire: Jones is expected to unify the UFC heavyweight title with a win over Aspinall, and Sonnen believes that will be his last fight.

• Ilia Topuria will lose in his debut at 155 pounds: Parker believes that Topuria will struggle to make weight at 155 pounds and will be unsuccessful if he moves up in weight.

• Francis Ngannou will fight... but not in MMA: The PFL has struggled to find credible opponents for Ngannou, so he'll likely lace up the boxing gloves for a showdown with Deontay Wilder instead.

• Ilia Topuria will be the 2025 men's fighter of the year: Cormier believes that Topuria will face Alexander Volkanovski again and will also fight rising contender Diego Lopes and possibly Movsar Evloev, putting him on the short list for men's fighter of the year.

• There will be another trade of fighters between promotions: Okamoto believes that the UFC and PFL could make a trade similar to the one that sent Demetrious Johnson to One Championship in 2018.

• Conor McGregor returns for one last fight against Nate Diaz: McGregor is nearing the end of his career, and Hale believes that a trilogy fight against Nate Diaz would be a big payday for both fighters and would not disrupt the UFC title picture.