As a handful of MMA legends begin to drift toward the tail end of their careers, the next wave of UFC prospects are already snapping at their heels, eager to break through and challenge the big dogs of their divisions.
Let’s take a look at some of the most exciting fighters ready to crack the top ten in their respective weight classes in 2025.
5 UFC Prospects Set To Breakthrough In 2025
First of the Prospects: Joshua Van, Flyweight
With the UFC’s flyweight division in desperate need of some freshening up, the newfound presence of Joshua Van (12-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) at the tail-end of the rankings makes for interesting reading.
The 22-year-old Myanmar-born prospect finished 2024 in impressive fashion, picking up his third victory of the year (out of four fights) over Cody Durden at UFC 310, a result which helped him crack the top 15 at 125 lbs.
Having only debuted inside the Octagon in mid-2023, “The Fearless” has already gained a reputation as one of the most impressive strikers in the division. His technical prowess, his efficient boxing and his methodical approach during fights have drawn comparisons with a young Petr Yan, and with dominant flyweight king Alexandre Pantoja having effectively cleaned out the division over the course of 2024, it’s likely that one or two impressive wins over the right opponents could leapfrog Van into the upper echelons of the divisional rankings.
Prospect No. 2: Joel Alvarez, Lightweight/Welterweight
Another fighter who finished the year impressively, Joel Alvarez (22-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) decimated Drakkar Klose with a spectacular flying knee in the opening round of their clash at UFC Tampa earlier this month.
“El Fenomeno” hinted at the post-fight press conference that he is almost certainly finished making the cut to 155 lbs and instead sees his future in the welterweight division. “It could be (my last lightweight fight), but if there’s going to be a UFC Spain, that would be my last dance at 155″ he told reporters via an interpreter.
Alvarez has finished all seven of his UFC wins inside the distance, with only Damir Ismagulov in 2019 and Armen Tsarukyan in 2022 managing to find a way to beat the Spaniard.
At 6’3” and with a 77-inch reach, Alvarez certainly has the frame and the knockout power to compete at welterweight, and the thought of him facing names like Carlos Prates, Vicente Luque or Michael “Venom” Page to compete for a place in the rankings at 170 lbs is certainly an enticing one.
Payton Talbott, Bantamweight
The name of Payton Talbott (9-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) is the first one out of a lot of fans’ mouths when the topic of ‘hot prospects’ comes up. The 26-year-old has had a whirlwind introduction to life in the UFC ever since his Octagon debut in November 2023.
Having broken into the big leagues by way of a decision win on Dana White’s Contender Series, the Las Vegas native has since racked up a hat-trick of conclusive finishes over Nick Aguirre, Cameron Saaiman and Yanis Ghemmouri.
Talbott possesses the type of power that helps him stand out in the lower weight classes among his fellow prospects. He has an uncanny ability to time his strikes perfectly, stopping his opponents in their tracks.
This was very evident in his win over Cameron Saaiman, as he repeatedly walked the South African onto heavy punches before putting him away in the second round.
A step up in competition is needed and will surely come in 2025. Talbott will be in action against Raoni Barcelos at UFC 311 on January 18th and should he do to the Brazilian what he has managed to do to everyone else he has faced inside the Octagon so far, the hype surrounding him will go into overdrive.
Michael Morales, Welterweight
Michael Morales (17-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) has looked nothing short of sensational since making his first walk to the Octagon at UFC 270 almost two years ago. The 25-year-old Ecuadorian has found his way into the welterweight rankings thanks to wins over Trevin Giles, Adam Fugitt, Max Griffin, Jake Matthews and Neil Magny.
The win over Magny has earned him a spot in the rankings and with that comes stiffer competition going forward. In three recent cases (Ian Garry, Shavkat Rakhmonov and Carlos Prates) the UFC has handed Neil Magny and Geoff Neal to their hot welterweight prospects in quick succession, so it’s likely Morales may face “Handz of Steel” next time out. He’s an easy pick on our list of UFC prospects for 2025.
Oumar Sy, Light Heavyweight
France’s Oumar Sy (11-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has had a promising opening six months under the UFC banner. The KSW veteran made light work of Tuco Tokkos in his Octagon debut last summer, taking the Brit down with ease and applying his patented rear naked choke finish.
The 29-year-old Frenchman banked three valuable rounds in a decision win over Da Woon Jung in September, and in a division loaded with veterans on the downturn of their careers (Volkan Oezdemir, Anthony Smith and Dominick Reyes populate the light heavyweight rankings), the right matchmaking and a slice of good fortune could see Sy emerge as a contender at 205 lbs sooner rather than later, good enough for our list of top UFC prospects.