The Fights We Want to See in 2025

Christmas is gone, New Year has passed and we are already over what is statistically the most depressing day in the calendar – Blue Monday. That means one thing and one thing only, it’s time to look ahead to the future and start to get excited about what 2025 has in store.

To some that means analysing the biggest political showdowns of the year and looking forward to upcoming book releases. To us and we suspect you, it means salivating at the prospect of seeing the best fighters on the face of the planet tearing shreds out of one another in the octagon.

If that sounds like your thing then join us on a journey as we profile a range of fights that we would love to see in 2025. Some of which do feature in the schedule and the latest UFC betting odds, and others that exist purely in our wildest dreams…

Jon Jones vs Sergei Pavlovich

It’s the fight that we have all been waiting for and, at the time of writing, there are no plans to bring it to fruition in 2025. Certainly not any concrete ones anyway, with the closest thing being a clash between Jones and Tom Aspinall.

Now we’re not saying that won’t be a terrific fight and potentially one for the ages, but man we just really want to see Jones against Pavlovich. Their skills and weaknesses seem so perfectly matched that the fight feels as if it would be an instant classic whatever the condition of the two fighters or the end result.

Israel Adesanya vs Nassourdine Imavov

Moving away from morally bankrupt fighters from Dublin, a fight that is actually scheduled and we cannot wait for is Adesanya vs Imavov on the 1st of February. It will be Adesanya’s first UFC Fight Night card since 2018 and whilst it will feel like a huge fall from grace seeing him take on the rising Imavov, it’ll just be great to see him back in action.

Julianna Pena vs Kayla Harrison

When Holly Holm was choked out at UFC 300 by octagon debutante Kayla Harrison it made a lot of people sit up and take notice. Unfortunately it didn’t quite have the same effect on organisers who decided to give Julieanna Pena instead of Harrison first shot at the bantamweight title.

Fortunately Pena took her opportunity, albeit with a controversial decision victory, which sets up the mouth-watering prospect of a Pena vs Harrison showdown in 2025.

Alex Pereira vs Magomed Ankalaev

The final fight we’re covering today is a truly sensational clash that is scheduled for UFC 313 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on the 8th March – Pereira vs Ankalaev. The Russian light heavyweight is finally being given his chance to take a shot at the champ and it promises to be a real bruising encounter.

Ankalaev isn’t the most technically beautiful fighters out there but what he does have is a real dogged determination which will test out every single aspect of Pereira’s game. If he does come out on top against his Russian counterpart he will have very justification in the world to claim that he is undoubtedly the best in his division.

It’s a fight for the purists that we leave you with, but ultimately that’s what top level fighting is all about, two different styles coming up against each other in an ultimate test of will and skill.

Agree with some of our picks? Have a dream fight of your own that you’d love to see take place this year?