MMA Rank 1-50: Who's Ready to Dominate in 2025?
We predict which MMA fighters will have the best 2025 based on their current performance, upcoming fights, and other factors.
- Tom Aspinall - The interim heavyweight champion is expected to have a breakout year and could become one of the most dominant forces in the division. A potential fight with Jon Jones looms large. 2. Alex Pereira - Pereira has established himself as one of the most entertaining fighters in the world and could move up to heavyweight. 3. Ilia Topuria - The UFC featherweight champion could defend his title or move to lightweight and attempt to become a two-division champion. 4. Khamzat Chimaev - There's optimism around Chimaev's ability to reach his potential. If he can remain healthy and fight multiple times in 2025, he could become the biggest star in MMA. 5. Islam Makhachev - Makhachev is primed for a strong 2025 and could fight twice this calendar year. He has options at lightweight and welterweight. 6. Zhang Weili - The UFC strawweight champion could have a more interesting year in 2025, with a title defense against Tatiana Suarez and the potential to become a two-weight champion. 7. Kayla Harrison - Harrison is on the verge of a title shot and could become the UFC women's bantamweight champion this year. 8. Shavkat Rakhmonov - Rakhmonov is on pace to fight for a title in 2025 and could become a breakout star. 9. Alexandre Pantoja - Pantoja is the UFC men's flyweight champion and could tighten his grip on the division with two title defenses this year. 10. Umar Nurmagomedov - Nurmagomedov is set for a title fight against Merab Dvalishvili and has the potential to be the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. 11. Charles Oliveira - Oliveira is one of the most popular fighters in the UFC and could have a big year with potential fights at lightweight and featherweight. 12. Diego Lopes - Lopes is a featherweight contender who could get a title shot in 2025. 13. Valentina Shevchenko - Shevchenko is the UFC women's flyweight champion and could face new challenges in 2025. 14. Merab Dvalishvili - Dvalishvili is the UFC men's bantamweight champion and will defend his title against Umar Nurmagomedov. 15. Dakota Ditcheva - Ditcheva is the PFL 2024 women's flyweight champion and could become a star with meaningful opportunities. 16. Tatiana Suarez - Suarez could have a breakout year if she can claim the UFC strawweight title from Zhang Weili. 17. Max Holloway - Holloway could have another run in him at lightweight and could move up the ladder toward a title shot. 18. Jack Della Maddalena - Della Maddalena is a welterweight contender who could move up the ranks in 2025. 19. Dricus Du Plessis - Du Plessis is the UFC middleweight champion and could have a big year with a rematch against Sean Strickland and a potential fight against Khamzat Chimaev. 20. Jon Jones - Jones could have the best year of any MMA fighter if he beats Tom Aspinall. 21. Caio Borralho - Borralho is a middleweight contender with potential to land a fight with a former champion. 22. Arman Tsarukyan - Tsarukyan could have a big year if he beats Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title. 23. Dustin Poirier - Poirier is guaranteed to have a meaningful year as he could make the final walk of his career. 24. Manon Fiorot - Fiorot could have a breakout year with a potential title shot at women's flyweight. 25. Sean O'Malley - O'Malley could find himself right back in title contention when he returns to action midyear. 26. Belal Muhammad - Muhammad is the UFC welterweight champion but could lose the belt to Shavkat Rakhmonov. 27. Joaquin Buckley - Buckley could see title contention in 2025 with a 4-0 campaign in 2024. 28. Sean Strickland - Strickland could have a great year if he beats Dricus Du Plessis to reclaim the UFC middleweight title. 29. Tatsuro Taira - Taira has the skills to have a strong 2025 and could charge toward title contention. 30. Ian Machado Garry - Machado Garry could move up the ranks with a win over Shavkat Rakhmonov. 31. Leon Edwards - Edwards could make a comeback in 2025 after losing his title in 2024. 32. Usman Nurmagomedov - Nurmagomedov has a big fight against Paul Hughes but his options are unclear beyond that. 33. Alexander Volkanovski - Volkanovski could get his mojo back in 2025 after two consecutive knockout losses. 34. Israel Adesanya - Adesanya will face Nassourdine Imavov in his first nontitle bout in six years. 35. Brandon Moreno - Moreno is a long shot to outperform his No. 35 ranking but could have a huge year if he beats Alexandre Pantoja. 36. Cory Sandhagen - Sandhagen has plenty of optimism for the bantamweight contender considering his skill and the fresh matchups available for him. 37. Yan Xiaonan - Yan could work back into title contention in 2025 with a gutsy performance against Zhang Weili. 38. Magomed Ankalaev - Ankalaev could have a high-profile opportunity if he gets a shot at champion Alex Pereira. 39. Renato Moicano - Moicano needs to keep stacking wins in the Octagon for one good stretch in 2025. 40. Petr Yan - Yan is firmly back in the hunt for the title with plenty of interesting options for opponents. 41. Erin Blanchfield - Blanchfield could show improvement and challenge for a title by the end of 2025. 42. Jiří Procházka - Procházka has an opportunity to turn things around on Saturday when he faces another ex-champ, Jamahal Hill. 43. Francis Ngannou - Ngannou's outlook is lower in 2025 than 2024 only because he's now one year older and there are no obvious opponents for him. 44. Kai Kara-France - Kara-France could be in the front of the line for a shot at the champion with an impressive first-round knockout win over Steve Erceg. 45. Movsar Evloev - Evloev's exceptional grappling has set him on a course for a title opportunity in 2025. 46. Arnold Allen - Allen could build upon his July victory over Giga Chikadze with a win in his first fight of this year. 47. Yair Rodriguez - Rodriguez could have a big main event in Mexico and a win would put him in line for a massive fight against Ilia Topuria. 48. Patchy Mix - Mix is one of the best fighters in the sport in his division but the lack of potential fights for him affects his placement on this list. 49. Julianna Peña - Peña is expected to defend her bantamweight crown against Kayla Harrison at some point. 50. Alexa Grasso - Grasso's severe drop in MMA Rank indicates that our voters believe her opportunities will be few after three straight fights with Shevchenko.
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