Hello, Poatan! SUPER LUTAS selects the best fighter performances of 2025; see the list.

Poatan attacks Ankalaev in the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/UFC

The year 2025 brought a series of great performances for fans of the world's largest MMA organization. Amidst so many impeccable performances, SUPER LUTAS decided to list which athletes managed to stand out through their activities inside the most famous octagon on the planet. From rising stars like Carlos Prates to even established champions like Alex Poatan , the year was undoubtedly marked by great performances.

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The voting process was as follows: each team member created an individual top 5, knowing that first place would be worth 5 points, second place 4 points, and so on. With all votes tallied, the points were added up to determine the final top 5 for SUPER LUTAS . Let's get to the list!

Honorable mentions SUPER FIGHTS

Khamzat Chimaev dominated Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319 (Photo: Instagram/UFC)

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Before we move on to the Top 5, it's important to highlight other fighters who had solid performances but didn't receive enough votes to make the final list. These include: Kahmzat Chimaev, who dominated Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319 and became the middleweight champion (up to 83,9 kg); and Vadim Nemkov , who submitted Renan Problema and won the PFL heavyweight title (up to 120,2 kg).

In addition to them, we also have Merab Dvalishvili defeating Umar Nurmagomedov in the first numbered event of the year, ending his rival's undefeated streak, as well as his performance against Sean O'Malley in the rematch for the bantamweight title (up to 61,2 kg); and finally, Valentina Shevchenko 's stellar performance against Weili Zhang in the co-main event of UFC 322.

5) Carlos Prates vs. Geoff Neal (5 points)

Carlos Prates defeated Geoff Neal at UFC 319. Photo: Reproduction/X.

We open the top 5 with a great Brazilian victory. Fighting Nerds star and one of the top title contenders for 2026, Carlos Prates became the first to knock out veteran Geoff Neal at UFC 319. And what a knockout! In the last second of the first round, "The Nightmare" landed a spectacular spinning elbow. The triumph earned the São Paulo native another Performance of the Night award and secured him a fight against former champion Leon Edwards three months later.

4) Islam Makhachev x Jack Della Maddalena (7 points)

Islam Makhachev in victory against Jack Della Maddalena . Photo: Reproduction/Instagram.

Although not a very exciting fight, Islam Makhachev 's victory against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 was enough to secure the fourth position on our list. After establishing himself as the longest-reigning lightweight champion (up to 70,3 kg) in Ultimate history, the Russian ventured into the welterweight division (up to 77,1 kg) and, without taking risks, controlled the Australian for 25 minutes to become the new king of the category. By the end of 2025, he will be ranked first in the world pound-for-pound rankings.

3) Ilia Topuria x Charles do Bronx (20 points)

Ilia Topuria defeated Charles Oliveira at UFC 317. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram.

The main event of UFC 317 didn't bring much excitement to the Brazilian audience. However, the SUPER LUTAS team couldn't help but praise Ilia Topuria 's achievement . Shorter and lighter, the Georgian/Spanish fighter made history by knocking out Charles Oliveira in the first round and becoming the new lightweight champion (up to 70,3 kg). Despite the size difference, he easily withstood the Brazilian's main strikes, took risks on the ground, and finished his opponent with a powerful right hand.

2) Petr Yan x Merab Dvalishvili II (26 points)

Petr Yan in victory against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 323. Photo: Reproduction/X.

Petr Yan surprised most fans and media by ending one of the longest winning streaks in history and regaining the bantamweight title (up to 61,2 kg) at the last numbered event of 2025. Although he had been defeated by Merab Dvalishvili in their first encounter, the rematch took a completely different turn. In addition to defending most of the takedown attempts, Yan punished his opponent on his feet and emerged victorious by unanimous decision in a memorable performance.

1) Alex Poatan x Magomed Ankalaev II (33 points)

Poatan dances with his UFC team. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/UFC

The top spot couldn't be any different. With 33 votes, Alex Poatan 's performance in the main event of UFC 320 against Magomed Ankalaev was chosen by the SUPER LUTAS team as the best of the year. While in the first fight the Brazilian was dominated and lost the light heavyweight title (up to 93 kg), he simply made short work of the Russian in the rematch. With a knockout in the first few minutes of the fight, he regained the crown and can now seek to expand his territory in the higher weight class. We'll see how things are in 2026.

😱 Alex Pereira landed BIG right hand to start his finishing sequence of Magomed Ankalaev.

Three-time champion ✅ 🏆

pic.twitter.com/C0O6FRcVZr

— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) October 5, 2025

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