Grok Ranks the 7 Biggest MMA Stories of 2025
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2025 was a year that had it all for MMA fans. We saw breakout stars, shocking upsets, multi-division champions, and controversies that shook the sport’s very foundation.
Based on a detailed review of social media engagement on X, including year-end recaps, award threads, and high-traffic posts, alongside coverage from outlets like ESPN, MMA Mania, Yahoo Sports, and MMA Fighting, these seven stories consistently dominated discussions and captured the sport’s biggest narratives.
No single list can claim to be the definitive ranking. But, this compilation reflects the highest-engagement narratives of 2025, prioritizing stories that sustained buzz over months rather than one-off events.
These stories illustrate why 2025 will be remembered as one of the most eventful years in MMA history:
1. Joshua Van’s Unstoppable Rise to Flyweight Gold
Joshua Van redefined the flyweight division in 2025. The 24-year-old Myanmar-American started the year unranked and finished as UFC champion after a flawless 4-0 run.
His breakout began with an upset knockout of Tatsuro Taira in February, followed by a decision win over Matheus Nicolau. In July, he earned a grueling split-decision “Fight of the Year” against Brandon Royval at UFC 317. His ascent culminated with a first-round TKO over Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 323 due to a doctor stoppage from an arm injury.
Van’s year earned him ESPN’s “Breakthrough Fighter of the Year” and widespread acclaim for his resilience. He became the second-youngest UFC champion ever and the first born in the 2000s.
Clips of his Royval fight went viral, with @ChampRDS’s highlight reaching 1.2 million views and 16,706 likes. Discussions on year-end recaps, such as @LaSueur_off’s posts, kept fans debating his P4P ranking well into December. His underdog story dominated mid-to-late year trends, inspiring fans across social media.
2. Islam Makhachev’s Conquest of a Second Division
Islam Makhachev’s dominant 2025 campaign cemented his legacy. He defended lightweight gold twice before vacating the belt in May to pursue welterweight supremacy.
In November at UFC 322, he submitted Jack Della Maddalena in Round 3 to become a two-division champion. The fight showcased a grappling clinic, coming after Della Maddalena’s earlier upset of Belal Muhammad, tying win-streak records and drawing comparisons to Khabib Nurmagomedov. Madison Square Garden crowds chanted his name throughout the night.
Social engagement built early from his announcement. @ufcontnt earned 2,500 likes and 132k views, and exploded post-win. @SportsCenter’s clip hit 19,919 likes and 824k views, while @acdmma_’s recap received 3,275 likes. P4P debates extended the buzz through the year, including @Sadrazamm__’s top-5 list (33 likes) and @WestTillDeath’s awards (4,206 likes).
His undefeated aura and two-division triumph made Makhachev a year-long talking point, with high repost rates across social media.
3. The Record-Breaking Title Chaos: 11 Belts Changed Hands
2025’s UFC landscape was pure anarchy with 11 title changes. It’s the most since 2016, creating divisional resets and upsets that kept fans talking all year.
Standouts included Merab Dvalishvili’s bantamweight dominance, earning ESPN’s “Fighter of the Year,” Valentina Shevchenko reclaiming flyweight gold, the welterweight carousel from Belal Muhammad to Jack Della Maddalena to Islam Makhachev, and a collective slump among Brazilian fighters as underdogs like Diego Lopes rose.
Only two male champions held their belts year-round, a stark contrast to previous stable eras.
Social media reflected the chaos. @menacemmahq’s “chaos” post garnered 222 likes and 21k views, while @WonderbreadMMA’s montage hit 15k likes and 365k views, peaking after each PPV like UFC 317, which was widely regarded as “Event of the Year.”
Year-end summaries from @MMAJunkie and @UFC_Asia fueled monthly ranking threads with thousands of views, making the title turbulence the most pervasive topic of the year due to its interconnected fight narratives.
4. Khamzat Chimaev’s Long-Awaited Coronation
Khamzat “Borz” Chimaev finally delivered on years of promise in 2025, capturing middleweight gold with a dominant 50-44 unanimous decision over Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319 in August.
The win pushed his record to 14-0, despite earlier bouts that were nearly draws. His wrestling masterclass silenced critics, and post-fight calls for super-fights amplified the hype.
Social media reacted immediately. @acdmma_’s win post received 2,603 likes and 80k views, while @Home_of_Fight’s photo earned 4,002 likes and 104k views. Cultural angles, like @RedCorner_MMA’s Chechnya clip, added 293 likes. Early-year predictions from @JG (392 likes) and end-of-year rankings kept Chimaev trending from May through December.
Monthly GOAT polls maintained high engagement, solidifying the fight as a hype-fulfilling saga for fans worldwide.
5. Alex Pereira’s Dramatic Light Heavyweight Recapture
Alex “Poatan” Pereira’s 2025 showcased his knockout artistry. He lost the light heavyweight title to Magomed Ankalaev via decision in March.
However, he reclaimed it in October at UFC 320 with a brutal Round 1 TKO using elbows, amid ducking accusations and Ankalaev’s alleged injury. His power streak fueled speculation about a potential heavyweight clash with Jon Jones.
Social media erupted after the rematch. @ufcontnt’s “AND NEW” post earned 6,674 likes and 159k views, while @Full_Violence’s montage reached 10,289 likes and 114k views. @acdmma_’s ovation clip topped 27,989 likes and 390k views.
Year-end critiques and betting discussions kept the fight trending, with knockout visuals dominating social feeds from October through December, driving its impact through sheer spectacle.
6. Ilia Topuria’s Lightweight Conquest and Two-Division Status
Ilia Topuria’s meteoric 2025 saw him become a two-division champion at 28. He knocked out Charles Oliveira with a precise counter right in Round 2 at UFC 317 in June, building on prior KOs of Volkanovski and Holloway.
A personal hiatus created interim drama and superfight speculation. This was amplified by late-December domestic abuse and extortion allegations from his ex-wife, claims he denied as blackmail.
Social media engagement surged after his KO. @Home_of_Fight’s post earned 4,639 likes and 122k views. The scandal drove further attention with @HappyPunch at 4,944 likes and 621k views, and @ChampionshipRounds at 1,594 likes and 489k views.
International recaps and debates about his future kept the story trending from mid-year into December, blending triumph with controversy for multifaceted fan engagement.
7. Gambling Scandals and Fight-Fixing Allegations
The underbelly of UFC 2025 came into focus with gambling scandals, culminating in a November FBI probe into over 100 flagged fights for abnormal betting patterns.
Notable bouts, including Yadier del Valle vs. Isaac Dulgarian, were linked to referee issues, eye pokes, and Dana White’s personal habits, as rumored in Netflix documentaries. The revelations sparked widespread debates about integrity in the sport.
Social media engagement tracked the story from mid-year rumors, with @JulianKlymochko earning 13 likes, to November spikes, where event posts reached over 5,000 likes and up to 118k views.
“Worst of 2025” threads and conspiracy polls kept the story trending, outpacing other narratives and marking it as one of the most transformative and talked-about issues of the year.
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