Looking Back: Remember the UFC’s biggest moments in 2025

Brazil had a lot to celebrate in the UFC in 2025. However, some misfortunes also frustrated the team in the world’s premier MMA competition. From regaining Alex Poatan’s belt to Charles Oliveira’s knockout, to important farewells to idols, it’s been a busy year for Brazilians inside the octagons.

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Poatan is currently the UFC light heavyweight champion.

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Charles was eliminated by Ilia Topuria in June this year

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Topuria is the lightweight champion

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The Russian is the new leader in the pound-for-pound rankings

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Pantoja lost the belt

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The fall of Poatan has a revenge with a happy ending

Alex Pereira is undoubtedly the Brazilian who has progressed the most in 2025. Despite this, Poatan has experienced his slowdown. The Brazilian was undefeated at light heavyweight since 2023, when he left welterweight, after losing the belt. But the same year, he became champion of the under 92.9 kg category.

Poatan had been wearing the belt since then, when he lost it during his 4th defense attempt, in March this year. After five rounds of competition, the judges elected challenger Magomed Ankalaev as the winner of the evening. The Brazilian’s request for revenge did not take long to appear.

Until the two met again on October 4 at UFC 320. That’s when Poatan showed, inside the octagon, that the belt should never have stopped belonging to Brazil. In just 80 seconds, Alex eliminated the Russian and became champion again.

Makhachev says goodbye to lightweight and becomes welterweight champion

The student of Khabib Nurmagomedov seems to be following the legacy of his mentor. Islam Makhachev decided in May to say goodbye to the lightweight division, of which he was champion, to take on a new challenge. The Russian then goes from 70kg to 77kg.

The welterweight debut, for a fighter of this caliber, had to be in style. The chosen opponent was therefore the champion of the category at the time, Jack Della Maddalena. In the main duel of UFC 322, held in New York, Makhachev defeated the Australian by unanimous decision of the judges and became two-time champion of the competition.

In a title fight, Charles ends up eliminated

Charles do Bronx was one of the big promises to turn things around in 2025. The São Paulo native was looking to regain the lightweight title, and with Islam Makhachev promoting himself to the top division, the task seemed simplified. In the fight for the belt, at UFC 317, in June this year, the Brazilian faced Ilia Topuria.

The Georgian, undefeated in his career, made his debut in the under 70 kg category. Topuria left the featherweight division as champion, to try to win at another level. Charles had already won this belt in 2021, but this time he was overtaken by the newcomer. After 2 minutes of play, the Brazilian was eliminated with a well-aimed punch to the face and the title returned to the foreigner.

Brazil ends the year with one belt less

The Brazilian team almost didn’t finish another year with two champions. Alexandre Pantoja, due to misfortune, lost the flyweight title. On December 6, at UFC 323, the Rio native defended his belt for the 5th time. The challenger was Joshua Van.

However, it only took 26 seconds for the judge to end the fight and declare the Burmese athlete the winner. Pantoja, falling to the ground, broke his arm and the competition had to be interrupted.

“The Cannibal” is the longest-serving Brazilian champion. He has been at the top of the flyweight division since July 2023 when he defeated Brandon Moreno. In addition, due to the fracture, the Rio native still does not have a commitment planned for 2026, for a possible rematch.

Gloves hanging

The UFC has said goodbye to one of the biggest names in the division. José Aldo has announced his retirement after 14 years in the competition. Júnior, as he is known, revealed his decision at UFC Rio on October 11. The last time he stepped into the octagon was in May at the 315 event, where he lost to Aiemann Zahabi. During his career, the Brazilian made 23 official fights for Ultimate.

Aldo made his UFC debut in April 2011, after that competition merged with the WEC, in which he was already featherweight champion. In his debut, he defeated Mark Hominick and began an unbeaten streak that would last four years. After seven title defenses, the Brazilian was beaten in 2015, in the fateful clash against Conor McGregor, which lasted only 13 seconds.

Dustin Poirier has also hung up his UFC gloves. The 36-year-old American last entered the Octagon on July 19. The fight earned him the symbolic title of BMF belt (toughest fighter), which Poirier would attempt to take from Max Holloway.

However, the title remained with the Hawaiian. Despite this, the atmosphere was emotional on both sides of the cage, as Holloway made his UFC debut in a duel against Poirier and was now closing the door on the veteran.