UFC 2025: Champions, Events & Future Fights

The Unfolding Saga of UFC 2025

The year 2025 has truly been a landmark period for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), showcasing an impressive roster of talent and delivering exhilarating fight cards. The UFC has carried on its legacy of elite mixed martial arts, from crowded venues throughout the world to the steady action at the UFC Apex. Indeed, by July 19, 2025, a remarkable total of 740 events had been hosted across 31 countries, underscoring the sport’s immense and growing global appeal.

The Ever-Changing Landscape of UFC Champions in 2025

Throughout the first half of 2025, various athletes have either defended their prestigious titles with determination or heroically ascended to championship status, making each division a battleground of elite skill. Consequently, fans have witnessed a dynamic shift in power across both men’s and women’s divisions.

Men’s Divisional Kings:

• Heavyweight:

  Tom Aspinall currently holds the coveted heavyweight championship.

• Light Heavyweight:

  On March 8, 2025, at UFC 313, Magomed Ankalaev impressively secured the light heavyweight belt.

• Middleweight:

  Dricus du Plessis has firmly maintained his grip on the middleweight title, successfully defending it multiple times.

• Welterweight:

  At UFC 315 on May 10, 2025, Jack Della Maddalena became the welterweight champion.

• Lightweight:

  Ilia Topuria remarkably seized the lightweight championship on June 28, 2025, during UFC 317.

• Featherweight:

  At UFC 314 on April 12, 2025, Alexander Volkanovski regained the featherweight championship.

• Bantamweight:

  Merab Dvalishvili has cemented his status as the bantamweight king, boasting two defenses since September 2024.

• Flyweight:

  Alexandre Pantoja continues his formidable reign as the flyweight champion, having defended his title four times since July 2023.

Women’s Divisional Queens:

• Bantamweight:

  At UFC 316 on June 7, 2025, Kayla Harrison made a big impression by winning the bantamweight title.

• Flyweight:

  Since September 2024, Valentina Shevchenko has successfully defended her title as the flyweight champion, solidly holding onto it.

• Strawweight:

  Zhang Weili remains a formidable force in the strawweight division, boasting three successful defenses since November 2022.

A Review of the Exciting 2025 UFC Events

The UFC’s 2025 calendar has been packed with high-profile matchups, drawing substantial crowds and creating memorable moments in various locations.

Key Events from the First Half of 2025:

• UFC 318:
• Holloway vs. Poirier 3 was a much-anticipated trilogy fight that took place in New Orleans, Louisiana, on July 19, 2025. Max Holloway defended his BMF championship against Dustin Poirier at the Smoothie King Center in what was billed as Poirier’s final bout. Six of the nine fights in the UFC 318 preliminary round ended within the distance, making them very thrilling.
• In his fourth consecutive UFC victory, Vinicius Oliveira defeated Kyler Phillips via unanimous decision. “Lok Dog” persistently applied pressure and delivered strong blows, overcoming early obstacles to outwork Phillips.
• Brendan Allen delivered a stellar performance in his home state, dominating Marvin Vettori by unanimous decision to snap a two-fight skid. This victory is likely to move Allen back into the Top 10 of the middleweight rankings.
• Nikolay Veretennikov earned his first UFC victory by split decision against Francisco Prado in a highly competitive welterweight bout.
• Ateba Gautier secured a TKO victory over Robert Valentin in the first round, marking his second consecutive first-round stoppage win in 2025. At just 23, “The Silent Assassin” is proving to be a formidable threat in the middleweight division.
• Islam Dulatov made a significant promotional debut, knocking out Adam Fugitt in the first round. The 26-year-old welterweight showed promise as a future star by extending his victory run to 12 points, all via stoppage.
• Jimmy Crute In the opening round, Jimmy Crute defeated Marcin Prachnio via submission (armbar), putting him back in the win column. Crute’s first victory since 2020 demonstrated his enduring prowess in the light heavyweight class.
• Ryan Spann In his second heavyweight bout, Ryan Spann showed off his power by guillotine-choking Lukasz Brzeski in the first frame. “Superman” demonstrated his versatile abilities and finishing touch.
• Brunno Ferreira achieved his second consecutive first-round submission victory, tapping out Jackson McVey with an armbar. “With a perfect finishing record, “The Hulk” is now a must-see middleweight.
• Carli Judice kicked off UFC 318 with a third-round TKO victory over Nicolle Caliari. The Louisiana native displayed impressive striking and footwork, securing her second consecutive win.

• UFC on ESPN:

  Lewis vs. A remarkable 17,007 fans attended Teixeira, which took place in Nashville, Tennessee, in the United States, on July 12, 2025.

• UFC 317:

  Topuria vs. Oliveira took place on June 28, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., with 19,800 spectators witnessing a new lightweight champion. Actually, this was the last event of 2025’s UFC International Fight Week.

• UFC on ABC:

  In Baku, Azerbaijan, on June 21, 2025, 14,424 people watched Hill vs. Rountree Jr., UFC on ABC.

• UFC on ESPN:

  Usman vs. Buckley occurred on June 14, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., with 17,204 fans present.

• A pivotal event, UFC 316:

  Dvalishvili vs. O’Malley 2 on June 7, 2025, in Newark, New Jersey, U.S., captivated 17,343 fans with its significant bantamweight clash.

• UFC 315:

  Muhammad vs. Della Maddalena was hosted on May 10, 2025, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, drawing a crowd of 19,786.

• Before that, UFC on ESPN:

  Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., on May 3, was seen by 15,627 fans.

• April featured UFC 314:

  Volkanovski vs. Lopes in Miami, Florida, U.S., on April 12, with 18,287 enthusiastic fans.

• In the past, UFC 313:

  Pereira vs. Ankalaev, which drew 18,869 spectators, was held in Las Vegas, Nevada, in the United States on March 8, 2025.

• UFC 312:

  du Plessis vs. Strickland 2 on February 8, 2025, in Sydney, Australia, brought 18,537 fans to their feet.

• The year began with UFC 311:

  Makhachev vs. Moicano on January 18, 2025, in Inglewood, California, in the United States.

Numerous other Fight Night and UFC on ESPN/ABC events have also taken place, some at the UFC Apex without public attendance, allowing for consistent action and showcasing a wide array of talent.

UFC International Fight Week 2025: A Major Success

UFC International Fight Week 2025, held in Las Vegas from Wednesday, June 25, through Sunday, June 29, was a monumental success. This premier annual event was headlined by UFC 317, which featured the exciting Topuria vs. Oliveira bout.

Key Components of Fight Week:

• 2025 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony: This prestigious event took place on Thursday, June 26, at T-Mobile Arena, honoring UFC legends.
• UFC X: Held at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Friday, June 27, and Saturday, June 28, UFC X was an immersive two-day fan event that gave fans unparalleled access to their favorite athletes.
• UFC BJJ 1: Kicking off the week on Wednesday, June 25, this event featured a UFC BJJ Bantamweight Title Match between Mikey Musumeci and Rerisson Gabriel, alongside two other title matches and bouts, which were broadcast live on YouTube, Facebook, and UFC FIGHT PASS.

What’s Still to Come: Anticipated UFC Showdowns in 2025

The latter half of 2025 is also filled with exciting matchups that have been eagerly anticipated. For instance, UFC on ABC, Whittaker vs. de Ridder, will take place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on July 26, 2025.

This fight is already being highlighted as the “Up Next” event after UFC 318. Following that, UFC 319, Du Plessis vs. Chimaev, is a highly anticipated clash set for August 16, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

Fans may anticipate UFC Fight Night, Walker vs. Zhang on August 23, 2025, in Shanghai, China, and UFC Fight Night. Imavov vs. Borralho on September 6, 2025, in Paris, France, as the year goes on.

The year will end strongly with UFC 320, which is set for October 4, 2025. in Las Vegas, Nevada, in the United States, and UFC 321, which is set for October 25, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

One upcoming event drawing significant attention is UFC Fight Night, Lopes vs. Silva. This exciting Featherweight Bout, featuring 2 ranked Diego Lopes against 10 ranked Jean Silva, is scheduled for Sunday, September 14, 2025, at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, United States.

Prelim bouts are set to begin at 1:00 AM GMT+5, with early prelims at 3:00 AM GMT+5, and the main card kicking off at 4:00 AM GMT+5. All fights will be available for viewing on UFC Fight Pass.

Tickets for this event were made available through various presales starting on Wednesday, July 9, and went on public sale on Friday, July 11.

Understanding UFC Event Formats and Data

The UFC employs several consistent practices for its events and fighter data. Events are separated into various formats like “Numbered” events (pay-per-view), “Fight Night” events (often on ESPN+), and “UFC on ABC” or “UFC on ESPN” events. The “numbered” events follow a continuous sequence, regardless of location or year.

Fighter records, which are carefully compiled from reputable sources like UFC.com and Sherdog.com, often include bouts from Strikeforce and WEC, providing a full professional history.

Rankings are updated weekly and reflect a fighter’s standing within their division. Additionally, “Dana White’s Contender Series” plays a vital role in identifying new talent, offering promising fighters a high-pressure opportunity to earn a UFC contract. This platform is managed separately from the main UFC brand but serves as a direct pipeline for future stars.

Beyond the Octagon: Other Notable MMA Promotions

Although the UFC continues to lead the way, a number of other mixed martial arts organizations are also aggressively exhibiting talent and hosting important events in 2025.

• Absolute Championship Akhmat (ACA):

  Events are still held under this program, with ACA 190. The Gasanov vs. Aryshev fight is scheduled for August 15, 2025.

• Brave Combat Federation (Brave CF):

  Abdysalam Kubanychbek continues to be a dominant lightweight champion in this global promotion.

• Invicta Fighting Championships (Invicta FC):

  This all-female promotion has held several events, including Invicta FC 61: Ferreira vs. Palacios on April 5, 2025, and Invicta FC 62: Lehner vs. Rubin on May 16, 2025.

• Confrontacja Sztuk Walki (KSW):

  Adam Soldaev was the main attraction of KSW 108, which was held in Olsztyn, Poland, on July 19, 2025.

• Oktagon MMA:

  This promotion has seen new champions crowned, including Zhalgas Zhumagulov. Oktagon 74 is an upcoming event on August 9, 2025.

• ONE Championship:

  This well-known Asian organization frequently holds “ONE Friday Fights” events in Bangkok, Thailand. Several of these events have already taken place in 2025, including ONE Friday Fights 116 on July 18, 2025.

• Professional Fighters League:

  In keeping with its distinctive season format, the PFL Champions Series 2025 began on July 19, 2025, in Cape Town, South Africa.

• Rizin Fighting Federation (Rizin FF):

  Rizin: Otoko Matsuri was held on May 4, 2025, in Tokyo, Japan, where Razhabali Shaidulloev captured the featherweight title.

• Road Fighting Championship (Road FC):

  Jung Hyun Lee became the Flyweight champion on March 16, 2025, in this South Korean promotion.

2025 UFC Schedule Overview

Here is a summary of the main UFC events in 2025, along with previous and planned dates:

Conclusion

The UFC’s standing as the world’s top mixed martial arts organization will be firmly established by 2025. With a dynamic roster of champions, a relentless schedule of high-stakes events, and a commitment to fan engagement, the sport continues to captivate audiences worldwide. As the year progresses, more thrilling matchups and memorable moments are undoubtedly on the horizon, promising an exciting future for MMA enthusiasts everywhere.

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