Dana White’s Big Plans for 2025
Let’s just say we have some absolute slobber knockers to look forward to!
When the referee intervened and called a doctor’s stoppage on Joaquin Buckley versus Colby Covington at UFC Tampa two weekends back, with the former getting the nod, I have to admit, my household was forced into a minute of silence. This was because it signaled the final UFC bout of 2024 at that very moment, and I was now preparing to wait four weeks to see any octagon battles.
December to January is often the biggest break for the world-leading MMA promotion, and with such a busy schedule throughout the year, it isn’t easy to get through for a mixed martial arts diehard.
Fortunately, the wait for UFC fans isn’t so bad when UFC President Dana White delivered the goods in the shape of 2025’s schedule. And let’s just say we have some absolute slobber knockers to look forward to!
Dana White says that the winner of Jon Jones vs Stipe Miocic should fight Tom Aspinall and the crowd ERUPTS
Jon Jones: “knock it off.” 😭😭#UFC #MMA #UFC309pic.twitter.com/Ruw9lj19DJ
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) November 14, 2024
With a plethora of high-profile fights and title bouts coming up, none are bigger than the potential heavyweight rivalry that’s been brewing into fruition. While it isn’t confirmed, during a recent interview with ESPN’s First Take, the UFC boss expects the biggest fight in 2025 will be Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall.
“He is not afraid to fight Tom Aspinall,” White commented when discussing Jones. “He will fight Tom Aspinall, which will be the biggest fight in UFC history.”
If true, the Jones ducking Aspinall claims will have been nothing more than a façade by the UFC legend, as we previously discussed here at BetUS. Here’s to hoping they’re willing to give Bones “f*ck you money.”
Something we can all agree on…
Jones x Aspinall is our #1 must-see fight of 2025.
It has to happen.🤞 pic.twitter.com/I9HxaBoTmP
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) December 23, 2024
The First Quarter of 2025 Is STACKED!
It’s difficult to ignore the UFC rumors involving Jones and Aspinall right now; it could potentially be the biggest fight in UFC history, after all. However, they aren’t the only two stars on the roster that fans are eager to see compete in the New Year.
What about Alex Pereira? Poatan was officially awarded 2024’s Fighter of the Year, and with his recent social media posts proclaiming that he won’t be fighting Magomed Ankalaev, speculation on his next opponent has been non-stop.
Then, of course, we have names like ‘Suga’ Sean O’Malley, Max Holloway, Khamzat Chimaev, and Ilia Topuria, as well as a long list of up-and-coming superstars like Diego Lopez, Carlos Prates, and Paddy Pimblett, who’ll undoubtedly have UFC fights scheduled in the first half of next year.
First PPV of 2025 is a BANGER 🔥@MAKHACHEVMMA vs @ArmanUFC 2@MerabDvalishvil vs @UNmgdv #UFC311 at the @IntuitDome | 🎟️: https://t.co/dX45J0Cwpw pic.twitter.com/QE3Evz1uQr
— UFC (@ufc) December 5, 2024
Instead of complete speculation, however, UFC 311 and UFC 312 are already planned and set for January and February of 2025, giving us a real glimpse of how the UFC’s rise of being the most domineering combat sport globally isn’t slowing down.
As the first pay-per-view of 2025, UFC 311 is truly bringing us into the New Year with a bang!
Islam Makhachev will defend his lightweight strap in a long-awaited rematch with Arman Tsarukyan, Merav Dvalishvilli makes his first bantamweight championship defense against the unbeaten cousin of Khabib, Umar Nurmagomedov, and those are just the main and co-main event clashes.
We additionally have names like Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka, Kevin Holland, and Renato Moicano returning to the cage at 311, and this line-up more than makes up for lost time during the festive period.
Absolutely sick, I know!
The UFC’s upcoming TV rights deal is my story to watch in 2025. Billions of dollars on the table. Could we see the UFC on Amazon? Netflix? Peacock? 👀 pic.twitter.com/KpyBQbWCQd
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) December 23, 2024
Sean Strickland’s Chance at Redemption
The best sh*t talker in the UFC returns for the second PPV of next year, and you already know his name; yes, it’s the former middleweight champ who previously dethroned Israel Adesanya, Strickland!
With redemption on his mind, Sean Strickland, 33, will be eager to rectify his title loss to Dricus Du Plessis from UFC 297 early in 2024, particularly because it was his first title defense and one that was decided by a whisker (split decision).
Should Strickland falter to reclaim the gold, at the very least, we’ll be gifted with an entertaining build-up involving sarcastic sexism, over-the-top patriotism, and a long list of censored subjects I cannot repeat on this page.
This time they won’t call it a robbery, they’ll call it attempted murder. #UFC312 #preparetobeamazed pic.twitter.com/oSOJ0ih5yf
— Dricus Du Plessis (@dricusduplessis) December 9, 2024
On the other hand, DDP will look to stamp his name further as the middleweight’s finest following a rear-naked choke victory and successful inaugural 185lb title defense over Adesanya last time out.
We don’t know if UFC in 2025 will be the biggest year in UFC news yet, but based on what the promotion has in store thus, it’s bound to come pretty damn close!
👀 Run the rematch! 🏆 @DricusDuPlessis and @SStricklandMMA 2 at #UFC312! 🔥
Who’s coming out on top February 8th? pic.twitter.com/3MLgkMKHuE
— UFC Canada (@UFC_CA) December 23, 2024
UFC 2025 PPV Schedule (So Far)
With octagon violence excitement brewing, let us ponder on the incredible upcoming UFC events scheduled for 2025 thus far:
UFC 311
When: 18th January, 2025
Where: Intuit Dome, Los Angeles, California
UFC 311 Main Card (So Far):
- Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan [Lightweight Title Main Event Bout]
- Merab Dvalishvili vs. Umar Nurmagomedov [Bantamweight Title Co-Main Event Bout]
- Jiri Prochazka vs. Jamaha Hill [Light Heavyweight Bout]
- Kevin Holland vs. Reinier de Ridder [Middleweight Bout]
- Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano [Lightweight Bout]
Their first go-around was insanely good! 🔥
👑@MakhachevMMA and 🇦🇲@ArmanUFC will run it back for the lightweight gold next month! #UFC311 pic.twitter.com/g5OVySHgCF
— UFC_Asia (@UFC_Asia) December 22, 2024
UFC 312
When: February 8th, 2025
Where: Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, Australia
UFC 212 Main Card (So Far):
- Dricus Du Plessis vs. Sean Strickland [Middleweight Title Main Event Bout]
- Weili Zhang vs. Tatiana Suarez [Women’s Strawweight Co-Main Event Bout]
- Kamaru Usman vs. Jack Della Maddalena [Welterweight Bout] [Rumor, not official]
- Rei Tsuruya vs. Steward Nicholl [Flyweight Bout]
- TBC vs. TBC
- TBC vs. TBC
- (Bout order is subject to change)
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