LAS VEGAS – Max Holloway was backstage at the UFC Apex last week, three days before he challenged Alexander Volkanovsky in a trio for the featherweight title at UFC 276.
When questioned, the former featherweight champion – one of the top fighters on the planet – paused in his tracks to think. Inquiry: Who will be the best fighter in the world in 2025?
In three years, Holloway felt, he would still not be able to compete with himself. So, who would be the future king of MMA pound-for-pound if not “blessed”? It’s almost impossible to predict, Holloway said.
“Everyone has ups and downs,” Holloway said. “The game keeps growing. It could be someone who is currently at the top or it could be someone you don’t know yet. We just have to wait and see. “
ESPN asked more than two dozen athletes and coaches for their predictions about who would be the best MMA fighter in the world in 2025, and there was no clear consensus. A pattern in their answers: geography.
Most of the response was to fighters from the Caucasus – the Eurasian region between the Black and Caspian seas – and its environs. The most commonly mentioned names were Khamjat Chimayev of Chechnya, Russia, who now lives in Sweden; Islam Makhachev of Dagestan, Russia; And Shavkat Rakhmonov, born in Uzbekistan and now fighting outside of Kazakhstan.
Former UFC doubles champion and recent UFC Hall of Famer Daniel, who was included, said, “I wouldn’t be surprised if someone from that region of the world had such a strong, heavy wrestling base. Cormier said.”
Chimayev, 28, is the most optimistic fighter in the UFC, a star of a certain future. He is 5-0 in promotion and won unanimously over Gilbert Burns in UFC 273 in April. ESPN has successfully competed in the world 3 in welterweight, and also in middleweight. He completed his first four fights, the first three coming in just 66 days, the record for the fastest 3-0 start in modern UFC history.
“I’ve seen and trained in Khamjat,” said Eric Niksic, Extreme Couture MMA coach. “And I see the work that he has put in, and I see the team around him and the people around him and his work ethic. He has the mentality of a man you can see as a long-time champion. “
Makhachev, 30, is a longtime friend and training partner of former pound-for-pound king Khabib Nurmagomedov. He has won 10 straight and is moving closer to a lightweight championship shot. ESPN puts him 4th in the world with 155 pounds.
Rakhmonov, 27, may be the best up and coming prospect in the world. He has won the first four UFC fights through the Finnish and has eliminated Neil Magni by the second round submission. ESPN does not currently have Rakhmonov’s place in the welterweight, but that is likely to change.
“I see something [Rakhmonov] What I saw [current pound-for-pound king Kamaru] Usman, “said Henry Huft, Rakhmonov’s coach for Kill Cliff FC.” Not in style. But how professional he is, how sleepy he is. Sometimes it’s scary to see how calm he is after an argument – even in battle. “
Omar Nurmagomedov of Dagestan, often named by other Caucasus fighters and coaches, was Khabib’s bantamweight cousin; Lightweight heavyweight competitor Magomed Enclave; And Featherweight Prospect Movsar Evloev. Russia’s Petr Yan, former UFC lightweight champion and Georgia-born Armenian-Russian lightweight Republican Arman Sarukyan also received a number of reactions.
Javier Mendez of the American Kickboxing Academy is coached by Nurmagomedov and Makhachev. And in 2025, the 26-year-old Umar is excited about being on top of the mountain.
“He beats everyone in the gym,” Mendez said. “Islam [does], Too. But Umar is young [Khabib],
Outside the Caucasus region and Eurasia, one of the most reacted fighters was current UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. He has been in the UFC for four years and has been champion since 2019. But the Nigerian-born New Zealand player is only 32 years old and has not been punished much in fights.
“Not just because he’s so impressive, but because the feet aren’t very deep,” said Fight Ready MMA striking coach Eddie Cha. “He fights smart, doesn’t do much damage. He can fight that style for another three years at a high level without any breakouts. He knows how to take care of himself. “
Like Adesanya, Sean O’Malley is another striker who hasn’t done much damage and many warriors and coaches think he could have a pound-for-pound standout in the future. The bantamweight fighter is now just 27 years old and is already considered by UFC and fans as a future crossover star.
“He’s very athletic and he’s hungry to keep improving,” said O’Malley’s head coach Tim Welch. “He has athleticism and work ethic. By 2025, he will be in this athletic prime and ready to be the best fighter on the planet. “
When asked who would be the best fighter in the world in 2025, several fighters, including UFC welterweight competitor Belal Muhammad and Vicente Luke and featherweight competitor Giga Chikadze, made their own choices.
“I can’t wait for 2025, because I believe it will be the year I’m going to be pound-for-pound No. 1,” said Chikadze, 33.
There was no consensus on the women’s side either. The names of two-time PFL Featherweight Champion Kayla Harrison, UFC Flyweight Champion Valentina Shevchenko and former UFC Strovet Champion Zhang Weli were frequently mentioned. Shevchenko is ESPN’s current No. 1 pound-per-pound female MMA fighter, but many believe she will continue to dominate.
“I don’t think she’s going anywhere,” said LAW MMA coach Ray Longo.
Other women named by the coach and fighter were potential sleeper choices such as Brazilian Tella Santos and Natalia Silva and Scottish flyweight Casey O’Neill, who is recovering from a torn ACL.
But, like the men, no name stood out among the others. Many in the MMA community have noticed the unpredictability of the game and its development in the short term. The UFC isn’t even 30 years old and three years in mixed martial arts can seem like an eternity in terms of skill and technique advancement.
It is possible that in 2025 there will be one of the best fighters in the world who is currently unknown to a large audience.
“I don’t think we’ve seen him yet. He’s not in the UFC yet. I think the kids we have right now are showing good growth and great potential. But is she a Star Power? Next Conor McGregor?” He is fighting locally somewhere in the regional circuit. In my humble opinion, someone is going to set fire here, come soon. “