2025 in UFC

The year 2025 was the 33rd year in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States.

UFC in 2025

Class action: anti-trust lawsuits

Le v. Zuffa

On August 9, 2023, U.S. District Judge Richard Boulware granted class action status to more than 1,200 former UFC fighters who competed between December 2010 and June 2017 and are suing for $800 million upward to $1.6 billion in wages, as the lawsuit claims Zuffa had abused its power to suppress UFC fighters' wages. The anti-trust law also permits private plaintiffs to be able to recover three times the damages suffered, meaning the UFC may ultimately pay several billions of dollars' worth of damages. The case has a scheduled April 8, 2024 trial date. On March 20, 2024, TKO, UFC parent company reached an agreement to settle all claims in the class action lawsuits for $335 million where the settlement amount will be deductible for tax purposes. However, on July 31, 2024, Judge Richard Boulware ruled that the case would be heard by a jury and denied the preliminary approval for a settlement and reset for trial of in October. On February 6, 2025, Judge Richard Boulware of Nevada granted final approval for a $375 million settlement in the "Le vs. Zuffa" antitrust lawsuit for monopolistic practices. As part of the settlement, around $240 million to $260 million will be distributed to eligible fighters, specifically those who competed in at least one UFC bout from December 2010 to June 2017. These payments are expected to be made over the next year. Additionally, $40 million from the settlement will be set aside for administrative and legal expenses.

Johnson v. Zuffa

Based on court filings from late July 2025, the Johnson v. Zuffa antitrust lawsuit, originally filed in 2021, is proceeding, and status conference for the case is scheduled for late August 2025.

Cirkunovs v. Zuffa and Davis v. Zuffa

In May 2025, two antitrust lawsuits were filed against the UFC. One, led by former fighter Misha Cirkunov, specifically challenges the enforceability of arbitration clauses and class action waivers in UFC contracts. The other lawsuit, filed by former fighter Phil Davis, alleges that the UFC's anticompetitive practices also negatively impacted the ability of non-UFC fighters to secure fair wages.

Paramount and CBS partnership

On August 11, 2025, the UFC announced a seven-year media rights agreement with Paramount Skydance Corporation worth $7.7 billion. Paramount+ will exclusively stream all events for seven years, starting in 2026. Some numbered events will also air on CBS. The agreement will allow the UFC to move away from pay-per-view as events will stream on Paramount+ at no additional cost. All 13 of the UFC's flagship events and 30 Fight Nights a year will be streamed on the Paramount+ service. UFC CEO and President Dana White announced the UFC would produce four big events per year on CBS, and that the UFC's planned card for the White House on June 27, 2026, would one of those events.

2025 by the numbers

The numbers below records the events, fights, techniques, champions and fighters held or performed for the year of 2025 in UFC.

2025 UFC Honors awards

Starting in 2019, the UFC created year-end awards with "UFC Honors President's Choice Awards" for categories "Performance of the Year" and "Fight of the Year" being chosen by UFC CEO Dana White. The other "UFC Honors Fan Choice Awards" are for categories "Knockout of the Year", "Submission of the Year", "Event of the Year", "Comeback of the Year" and, from 2020, "Debut of the Year" in which fans are able to vote for the winner on social media.
Winners traditionally received a commemorative trophy along with a set of Toyo Tires, but beginning in 2026, Toyo Tires was no longer a sponsor of the awards.

2025 UFC.com awards

This is the first edition of the UFC.com Awards not written by the late former senior editor Thomas Gerbasi, who passed away in September 2025.

Releases and retirements

These fighters have either been released from their UFC contracts, announced their retirement, or joined other promotions:

Abdul Razak Alhassan - Released in March - Middleweight
Ahmad Sohail Hassanzada - Released in April - Lightweight
Alex Caceres - Signed with Dirty Boxing in May - Featherweight
Andrea Lee - Released in March - Women's Flyweight
Alvin Hines - Released in August - Heavyweight
André Muniz - Released in October - Middleweight
Ange Loosa - Released in July - Welterweight
Anthony Smith - Retired in April - Light Heavyweight
Antonina Shevchenko - Retired in March - Women's Flyweight
Ariane da Silva - Released in June - Women's Flyweight
Armen Petrosyan - Contract Expired in March - Middleweight
Austin Hubbard - Released in September - Lightweight
Azat Maksum - Released in October - Flyweight
Bill Algeo - Retired in February - Featherweight
Brad Katona - Released in June - Bantamweight
Brogan Walker - Released in October - Women's Flyweight
Bryan Battle - Released in August - Welterweight
Caolan Loughran - Released in April - Bantamweight
Bruno Silva - Released in May - Middleweight
C.J. Vergara - Released in April - Flyweight
Carlos Hernandez - Released in May - Flyweight
Chris Barnett - Released in November - Heavyweight
Choi Seung-woo - Released in April - Featherweight
Cheyanne Vlismas - Retired in June - Women's Strawweight
Chris Weidman - Retired in January - Middleweight
Clay Guida - Released in January - Lightweight
Cody Stamann - Released in February - Bantamweight
Connor Matthews - Released in June - Featherweight
Cortavious Romious - Released in April - Bantamweight
Daniel Argueta - Retired in April - Bantamweight
Danny Barlow - Released in October - Middleweight
Danny Roberts - Released in January - Welterweight
Diana Belbiţă - Retired in April - Women's Flyweight
Dominick Cruz - Retired in February - Bantamweight
Don'Tale Mayes - Released in May - Heavyweight
Dustin Poirier - Retired in July - Lightweight
Dylan Budka - Released in February - Middleweight
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos - Released in December - Welterweight
Felipe dos Santos - Released in July - Flyweight
Gabriel Miranda - Released in April - Featherweight
Guram Kutateladze - Released in April - Lightweight
Hamdy Abdelwahab - Released in October - Heavyweight
Hakeem Dawodu - Released in June - Featherweight
Henry Cejudo - Retired in December - Bantamweight
Holly Holm - Released in January at her request - Women's Bantamweight
Ihor Potieria - Released in January - Middleweight
Irina Alekseeva - Released in October - Women's Bantamweight
Isaac Dulgarian - Released in November - Featherweight
Istela Nunes - Released in April - Women's Flyweight
Ivana Petrović - Released in May - Women's Flyweight
Jairzinho Rozenstruik - Released in February - Heavyweight
Jalin Turner - Retired in March - Lightweight
Jamal Pogues - Released in February - Heavyweight
Jimmy Flick - Released in May - Flyweight
Joe Solecki - Retired in February - Lightweight
Jon Jones - Retired in June - Heavyweight
Jonathan Pearce - Released in February - Featherweight
Jordan Vucenic - Released in July - Lightweight
José Johnson - Released in January - Flyweight
José Aldo - Retired in May - Featherweight
Josefine Lindgren Knutsson - signed with GFL - Women's Strawweight
Joshua Culibao - Released in February - Featherweight
Julia Avila - Retired in February - Women's Bantamweight
Julian Marquez - Released in March - Middleweight
Julija Stoliarenko - Released in August - Women's Flyweight
Julio Arce - Signed with GFL - Featherweight
Justin Tafa - Released in October - Heavyweight
Kang Kyung-ho - Retired in January - Bantamweight
Kevin Jousset - Released in April - Welterweight
Kiefer Crosbie - Released in November - Welterweight
Kron Gracie - Released in June - Featherweight
Kurt Holobaugh - Released in November - Lightweight
Landon Quiñones - Released in March - Lightweight
Lauren Murphy - Retired in July - Women's Flyweight
Loik Radzhabov - Released in December - Lightweight
Lucas Alexander - Released in April - Featherweight
Łukasz Brzeski - Released in December - Heavyweight
Marcin Prachnio - Released in December - Light Heavyweight
Magomed Gadzhiyasulov - Released in January - Light Heavyweight
Maheshate Hayisaer - Released in September - Lightweight
Marcos Rogério de Lima - Released in March - Heavyweight
Marina Rodriguez - Retired in May - Women's Strawweight
Martin Buday - Released in July - Heavyweight
Maryna Moroz - Released in September - Women's Flyweight
Matthew Semelsberger - Released in February - Welterweight
Michał Figlak - Released in January - Lightweight
Melissa Martinez - Released in September - Women's Strawweight
Molly McCann - Retired in March - Women's Strawweight
Montana De La Rosa - Released in March - Women's Flyweight
Natan Levy - Released in February - Lightweight
Nikolay Veretennikov - Released in February - Welterweight
Paul Craig - Retired in September - Light Heavyweight
Preston Parsons - Released in September - Welterweight
Pedro Falcão - Released in April - Bantamweight
Quang Le - Released in November - Bantamweight
Rhys Mckee - Released in December - Welterweight
Ricardo Ramos - Released in December - Featherweight
Rolando Bedoya - Released in November - Lightweight
Rinat Fakhretdinov - Contract Concluded in December - Welterweight
Roosevelt Roberts - Released in February - Lightweight
Taylor Lapilus - Released in February - Bantamweight
Tony Ferguson - Signed with GFL - Welterweight
Trevin Giles - Released in July - Welterweight
Urijah Faber - Released in January - Bantamweight
Viacheslav Borshchev - Released in December - Lightweight
Victor Hugo - Released in January - Featherweight
Victoria Dudakova - Released in January - Women's Strawweight
Vinc Pichel - Retired in April - Lightweight
Viviane Araújo - Released in July - Women's Flyweight
Walt Harris - Released in March - Heavyweight
Warlley Alves - Parted ways in February - Middleweight
Westin Wilson - Released in September - Featherweight
Yanal Ashmouz - Released in November - Lightweight
Yusaku Kinoshita - Released in December - Welterweight