The holiday season is upon the combat sports fandom and MMA clique. If there was one fight to make – to ask the MMA gods or Santa, which would be it? UFC CEO Dana White already dazzled with the once-in-a-lifetime annual Noche UFC PPV extravaganza. While there’s a restrictive financial pause on venues, UFC Superfights are still a go. Come 2025, fans can be subject to a few such fights.
There’s no MMA (well there is, but not any major UFC card) until UFC 311, January 18. So, the field is ripe for discussing a major spot question. What are the fights for promotional CEO Dana White and Co. to make next year? Here is a look at a few.
5. Jiri Prochazka vs. Robert Whittaker
Eerie Jiri Prochazka (30-5-1 MMA, 4-2 UFC) is infamous for his hard-to-mimic flow and feints/defenses. The lone “Samurai” of the UFC roster, Prochazka is 1-1 this year. The fighter blew out Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 300. Then, he lost another bid against Alex Pereira at UFC 303.
While not ‘the’ needle mover, he is always a hot topic for the promotion. Prochazka even hinted at a shift down to 185 right after. Although he later scrapped it out. For now, he expects to remain at light heavyweight with his next bout happening at UFC 311.
Samurai vs. Reaper has a nice ring for a UFC Superfight (Source: gq.com/Instagram-threads.net › @ufc)On the other hand, perennial 185lber Robert Whittaker went through a similar 2-1 blitz in 2024. Whittaker edged out Paulo Costa. Then, he knocked the winds out of Ikram Aliskerov at the UFC Fight Night debut at Kingdom Arena, Riyadh. He recently faced a submission skid at UFC 308 to Chechen ‘Borz’ Khamzat Chimaev.
‘The Reaper’ has hinted recently that he might move up to 205-pound limits. If so, this matchup between former champs could be nothing short of a PPV mine and a big step forward for both. Both high up the pecking order, such a UFC Superfight might hoist them up to title talks again.
4. Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes
After tearing through veteran Holly Holm at UFC 300, Kayla Harrison edged past #2 135-pounder Ketlen Viera in a UFC 307 showdown. ‘Doug’ Harrison is a legitimate contender and bantamweight bruiser. There’s some spark brewing with the Raquel Pennington vs. Juliana Pena dynamic. But the one that makes the most sense – is Amanda Nunes.
Dana White already has his eye on one particular WMMA clash (Source: heavy.com/IMAGO/X)Nerve damage in her legs led to Nunes’ retirement in June 2023. However, the ‘Lioness’ has fueled speculation that she will return for the fight with Harrison. She posted a video of Harrison’s victory at UFC 300 on her social media pages after the milestone pay-per-view card in April.
CEO and head honcho Dana White isn’t even against it. Harrison is a two-time PFL champ and Olympic Judoka and even a slight prospect for UFC’s Women’s Fighter of the Year. The war between former teammates could be one for history in WMMA standards.
3. Ilia Topuria vs Islam Makhachev
UFC 145-pound ruler Ilia Topuria has had a one-of-a-kind run this year. His KOs over featherweight GOAT candidates Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway were something. He was a runner for Charles ‘Mask’ Lewis FOTY for the ’24 World MMA awards. Topuria is still undefeated and almost cleaned out the division for good.
In terms of popularity, Topuria took over the Super Bowl LVIII Radio Row, Jack Slack Podcast 164; and got an ovation during the El Hormiguero interview. The Alicante-Georgian also met with the president of Spain and took the honorary kick-off at the Real Madrid vs. Sevilla game. Now, he is hoping to stretch his fame with a shot up to lightweight and capture that belt too in 2025.
Spain vs. Dagestan for UFC double champ status? (Source: X/IG)Meanwhile, reigning UFC lightweight Islam Makhachev is here to stay for good. The men’s Pound-for-pound topper, the wrestle-heavy Dagestani even outboxed Dustin Poirier and proved his all-around prowess. Makhachev (25-1 MMA, 14-1 UFC) and his 14-fight UFC winning streak is the longest active streak among fighters. His three consecutive UFC title defenses are tied for the most at lightweight.
The wrestler who can box vs. the new best boxer who can grapple. Be it Spain at Santiago Bernabeu or the arid but lively combat capital of Saudi Arabia, this could be a UFC Superfight for the ages.
2. Khamzat Chimaev vs. Alex Pereira
If anyone, anywhere, and anytime were personifications, it would be Khamzat Chimaev and Alex ‘Poatan’ Pereira. There were doubts about the Chechen fighter returning in full form and making weight. With his habitual camp illness and weight issues, it was dim for a while. But the undefeated boogeyman and his UFC 308 co-headliner face-crank proved he can run through anybody. Maybe some day even at 205.
Meanwhile, there were doubts that Pereira’s wave of success and double-champ parade would persist. He met the prodigal UFC 205-pound champ Jamahal Hill with holes in his ground game, but blew him out in the very first round! With Prochazka matching his energy the first time, there were reservations again. Nevertheless, he blew the sails clear off with a head-kick knockout.
Ever-ready brawlers make list of 2025 UFC Superfights (Source: X/superlutas.com.br)With his biggest challenge vs. Khalil Rountree, Pereira (12-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC) made history with a fourth-round TKO. He became the seventh fighter to log three defenses of a title in the same calendar year. 5-0 since he moved in July 2023, Pereira logged the shortest time between three UFC title defenses at 175 days.
The Brazilian had been upping his ground game with Glover Teixeira and coach Plinio Cruz. Meanwhile, the freestyle wrestling/lean-in berserker Chimaev has been coupling his striking/cardio game. A scrap between these two would be roof-tearing. The face-off alone would make the papers and all the big betting props in 2025!
1. Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall
Despite flyweights to featherweights going “Karate Kid” midround, no division…literally no division catches more attention than the brand face of 265 pounds. It’s just a different high when the bigger juggernauts show pure athleticism and power. It also helps that GOAT Jon Jones travels these lanes now.
“Bones” put some skin into it when ex-UFC heavyweight Francis Ngannou took his out. Ask Dana White – he’d tell how Jones made it look easy against Ciryl Gane and Stipe Miocic. According to White, there’s just one UFC Superfight to make at heavyweight: Jones vs. Tom Aspinall.
Heavyweight unification is the endgame for 2025 (Source: X)No; not Pereira again who’s already a champ’s champ and many MMA analysts consider able to snag a third gold. It’s Aspinall all the way. The 2024 Breakout Fighter/Comeback of the Year won the interim title when Jones was out. Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) needed just under 60 seconds to knock out Curtis Blaydes and make a rare defense of his substitute strap.
Aspinall’s average fight time of 2:02 in UFC competition is the shortest in the history of the company. He lands 8.07 significant strikes per minute in UFC heavyweight competition (highest) but also touts BJJ prowess and a black belt. Indomitable and with least bottom time, the Brit is an anti-wrestling, fluid striker who moves like a welterweight. This would be THE matchup for the year 2025.
Honorable mentions
The fate of a lot of other UFC fighters hangs in the balance for 2025. 2024’s best-improved 155-pound slugger Dan Hooker makes a good case. Hooker vs. Renato Moicano could be one for the ages too. As would Dustin Poirier vs. Max Holloway again. UFC’s exciting lightweight brawler Michael Chandler vs. Rafael Fiziev is another. Rose Namajunas vs. Natalia Silva in an advanced striking clinic could dazzle.
Dana White has some fun titles and non-title fights to look to as well (Source: X/YT/agfight)Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kyoji Horiguchi (with the latter signing with UFC) was always a dream matchup. But the immediate shot went to signee Kai Asakura. There’s also something charming about former divisional kings Jose Aldo vs. Deiveson Figueiredo in a UFC Superfight. Tatsuro Taira vs. Steve Erceg could also make some championship-level performance. Dana White might just have a busy 2025 schedule ahead.
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