Top 10 Best MMA Fighters in the World 2025

Jon Jones reclaimed the UFC Heavyweight championship in 2023 and defended it successfully in 2025, adding the heavyweight title to his decade-long light heavyweight reign. Despite a controversial career peppered with legal issues, Jones' technical striking, elite wrestling, and unmatched ring IQ have led many analysts to call him the greatest mixed martial artist of all time.

Australian featherweight Alexander Volkanovski lost his UFC title to Islam Makhachev but remains ranked pound-for-pound number two for his extraordinary 25-4 record and dominant featherweight championship defences. His relentless pressure, elite cardio, and calculated striking style make him the hardest fighter to finish in UFC history at his weight class.

British welterweight champion Leon Edwards defended the UFC Welterweight title in 2025 in front of a sold-out London crowd, cementing his status as the UK's greatest ever MMA champion. His 22-3 overall record includes a stunning head kick knockout of Kamaru Usman — the most replayed finish in UFC welterweight history.

Brazilian striker Alex "Poatan" Pereira became the UFC Light Heavyweight champion after a jaw-dropping middleweight-to-light-heavyweight run that included four title fights across two divisions within 18 months. A three-time kickboxing world champion before transitioning to MMA at 32, Pereira's one-punch knockout power and calm demeanour make him the sport's most magnetic figure.

Colourful bantamweight champion Sean "Sugar" O'Malley captured the UFC Bantamweight title in 2023 and defended it with crowd-pleasing knockouts through 2025. His unconventional stance, laser-accurate striking, and entertainment value have made him one of the UFC's biggest pay-per-view draws and the most marketable fighter outside the top pound-for-pound tier.

South African middleweight Dricus du Plessis claimed the UFC Middleweight title in 2024, stopping Sean Strickland in front of a delirious Johannesburg crowd to become Africa's first UFC champion. His aggressive brawling style, iron chin, and electric post-fight promos have made him one of the most talked-about fighters in the sport.

Georgian-Spanish featherweight Ilia "El Matador" Topuria stunned the MMA world by stopping Alexander Volkanovski in just the second round at UFC 298, claiming the featherweight title with a devastating right hand. His 15-0 record (with 15 finishes) entering 2025 made him the most undefeated champion in the UFC and a superstar in Spain and Georgia.

Kyrgyz-Peruvian Valentina "Bullet" Shevchenko is considered the greatest female MMA fighter of all time outside of Ronda Rousey's cultural impact era. Seven successful flyweight title defences, an encyclopaedic striking game, and elite Muay Thai and grappling credentials across MMA and kickboxing make her the pound-for-pound standard-setter in women's MMA.

Chinese strawweight champion Zhang Weili recaptured the UFC Strawweight title in 2023 and dominated the division in 2025, giving China its first UFC champion and a global MMA superstar. Her explosive striking, wrestling, and indomitable spirit — fighting through cuts and adversity with undiminished aggression — make her the face of women's MMA in Asia.

Jon Jones reclaimed the UFC Heavyweight championship in 2023 and defended it successfully in 2025, adding the heavyweight title to his decade-long light heavyweight reign. Despite a controversial career peppered with legal issues, Jones' technical striking, elite wrestling, and unmatched ring IQ have led many analysts to call him the greatest mixed martial artist of all time.

Australian featherweight Alexander Volkanovski lost his UFC title to Islam Makhachev but remains ranked pound-for-pound number two for his extraordinary 25-4 record and dominant featherweight championship defences. His relentless pressure, elite cardio, and calculated striking style make him the hardest fighter to finish in UFC history at his weight class.

British welterweight champion Leon Edwards defended the UFC Welterweight title in 2025 in front of a sold-out London crowd, cementing his status as the UK's greatest ever MMA champion. His 22-3 overall record includes a stunning head kick knockout of Kamaru Usman — the most replayed finish in UFC welterweight history.

Brazilian striker Alex "Poatan" Pereira became the UFC Light Heavyweight champion after a jaw-dropping middleweight-to-light-heavyweight run that included four title fights across two divisions within 18 months. A three-time kickboxing world champion before transitioning to MMA at 32, Pereira's one-punch knockout power and calm demeanour make him the sport's most magnetic figure.

Colourful bantamweight champion Sean "Sugar" O'Malley captured the UFC Bantamweight title in 2023 and defended it with crowd-pleasing knockouts through 2025. His unconventional stance, laser-accurate striking, and entertainment value have made him one of the UFC's biggest pay-per-view draws and the most marketable fighter outside the top pound-for-pound tier.

South African middleweight Dricus du Plessis claimed the UFC Middleweight title in 2024, stopping Sean Strickland in front of a delirious Johannesburg crowd to become Africa's first UFC champion. His aggressive brawling style, iron chin, and electric post-fight promos have made him one of the most talked-about fighters in the sport.

Georgian-Spanish featherweight Ilia "El Matador" Topuria stunned the MMA world by stopping Alexander Volkanovski in just the second round at UFC 298, claiming the featherweight title with a devastating right hand. His 15-0 record (with 15 finishes) entering 2025 made him the most undefeated champion in the UFC and a superstar in Spain and Georgia.

Kyrgyz-Peruvian Valentina "Bullet" Shevchenko is considered the greatest female MMA fighter of all time outside of Ronda Rousey's cultural impact era. Seven successful flyweight title defences, an encyclopaedic striking game, and elite Muay Thai and grappling credentials across MMA and kickboxing make her the pound-for-pound standard-setter in women's MMA.

Chinese strawweight champion Zhang Weili recaptured the UFC Strawweight title in 2023 and dominated the division in 2025, giving China its first UFC champion and a global MMA superstar. Her explosive striking, wrestling, and indomitable spirit — fighting through cuts and adversity with undiminished aggression — make her the face of women's MMA in Asia.