MMA Predictions for 2025: Ilia Topuria Will Get Shot at Lightweight Title

The era of the UFC having “champ-champs” seems to have been fading from memory in the promotion. There was a stretch where Conor McGregor, Daniel Cormier, and Amanda Nunes found a way to hold championships in two different weight divisions at the same time. Many other great champions, like Israel Adesanya, have tried to add a second belt and failed.
Featherweight champion Ilia Topuria has already started to clamor for an opportunity to go up to lightweight and challenge for the championship. While MMAfighting latest news shows that many still want to see the undefeated featherweight defend his championship a few more times, this move might make sense.
Topuria took the belt off Alexander Volkanovski, who had held and defended the belt for many years, in a decisive fashion. During Topuria’s first title defense, he knocked off Max Holloway. Holloway is a respected veteran who had never previously been knocked out.
What is left for Topuria at featherweight? With Topuria talking about retiring in a few years, the UFC may want to acquiesce and allow him to fight up a division. With Topuria’s top-level striking, he may be a real problem.
Jones Will Fight Aspinall

Tom Aspinall deserves an opportunity to test himself against Jon Jones. The British interim heavyweight champion has consistently answered all the challenges in front of him with exciting fights. Aspinall produced three consecutive first-round finishes. During Aspinall’s last fight, MMA breaking news shows that he knocked out Curtis Blaydes in 60 seconds. Blaydes previously beat Aspinall when the British fighter suffered a knee injury 15 seconds into their matchup. But Aspinall now wants to fight Jones to get the interim tag removed from his title.
Jones doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone. He is the greatest light heavyweight champion in the history of the promotion. Whatever he does at heavyweight shouldn’t impact his legacy. Jones has played hardball about signing to fight Aspinall.
He has demeaned his potential opponent by saying he isn’t a big enough name. Jones only wants to take “legacy” fights at this point of his career. Picking up another heavyweight title defense against a younger contender could provide Jones that opportunity.
Suarez Will Go Another Year Without a Title Shot

Tatiana Suarez was supposed to be the bully of the women’s strawweight division. With her immense grappling credentials, many fight fans believed Suarez had the potential to make a Ronda Rousey-type run. But injuries have slowed Suarez down.
She is still the No. 1 contender at strawweight, but many MMA news websites have chronicled her battles with health issues. Suarez is an interesting matchup with champion Zhang Weili, who is more of a striking specialist.
But Suarez won’t get that opportunity this year. She likely would like to have one more bout to shake off ring rust before getting back in the cage. Weili will likely have to fight Virna Jandiroba to defend her crown.
Knockouts Will Increase
The UFC made a bold move last year to redesign their gloves with the idea of increasing fighter safety and cutting down on eye pokes. But the gloves that were introduced seemed to have an impact on the product. While there are many reasons knockouts could have been down last year, poor matchmaking, etc., the gloves took a large share of the blame. It was so bad that Jones asked for them to be changed back to the old ones when he fought Stipe Miocic for the belt.
UFC CEO Dana White said the previously used gloves will make a return. Expect that to produce more finishes to big fights. That should make everyone happy.
Pereira Won’t Finish 2025 as Champion
Alex Pereira is one of the most entertaining fighters on the UFC’s roster. When Pereira stayed active in 2024 and defended the UFC light heavyweight belt three times, it drew rave reviews from fans. There aren’t many champions who are willing to fight that many times.
Pereira needs to take advantage of every opportunity he can get. Pereira chose to transition to MMA later in his combat sports career. He is now 37 and won’t know how many more opportunities he will get for big money fights.
The matchup with Magomed Ankalaev is the one everyone is curious to see. If that fight happens, Pereira could have a hard time with Ankalaev’s grappling. Pereira struggled against Jan Błachowicz and was even taken down by long-time rival Adesanya.
Expect Pereira to fight several times this year, but one of those contests will see him fall from the championship ranks.
Chimaev Will Deliver on Immense Promise
Khamzat Chimaev should have already been the UFC’s middleweight champion. With all respect to current champion Dricus du Plessis, Chimaev has an all-around skillset that nearly no one else in the world can match. Chimaev has been held back by illness and some bizarre decision-making with weight cuts.
If Chimaev was more reliable with his schedule, it’s hard to think he wouldn’t have already been put in a championship fight. Chimaev showed his toughness with his decision win over Kamaru Usman. After du Plessis and Sean Strickland settle their defenses, Chimaev should be up next.
He will deliver the goods and get his hand raised as a champion.
Kape Will Fight For Flyweight Title
Manel Kape may have been in position for a title fight had he beaten Muhammad Mokaev in 2024. But instead, the two men put on one of the worst fights in the promotion’s history. Kape has bounced back with a knockout win since but likely needs one more win over a top-five contender to get a shot at flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja.
Kape, who is a powerful puncher for the division, should be able to earn that win. Expect Kape to get a shot at the champion before the year is done.
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By Dean McHugh.