Based on mid-year awards and current fan rankings from 2025, several MMA fights have already distinguished themselves as strong contenders for “Fight of the Year.” A flyweight bout between Joshua Van and Brandon Royval is consistently highlighted as the frontrunner.
Here is a summary of the most highly-rated fights of 2025 so far.
| Fighters | Event | Date | Result | Why It Was Notable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joshua Van vs. Brandon Royval | UFC 317 | June 28, 2025 | Van via Unanimous Decision | All-out war; record-setting 419 significant strikes in a 3-round UFC fight. |
| Merab Dvalishvili vs. Umar Nurmagomedov | UFC 311 | January 2025 | Dvalishvili via Unanimous Decision | Ultra-competitive, high-paced title fight; champion rallied after losing first two rounds. |
| Nazim Sadykhov vs. Nikolas Motta | UFC Fight Night | June 2025 | Sadykhov via KO (Right Hook) | Extremely violent two-round war; Motta broke his jaw. |
| Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena | UFC 315 | May 2025 | Della Maddalena via Unanimous Decision | Surprising stand-up banger that exceeded expectations. |
| Jiri Prochazka vs. Jamahal Hill | UFC 311 | January 2025 | Prochazka via KO (Round 3) | Back-and-forth war; both fighters were hurt several times before knockout. |
| Diego Lopes vs. Jean Silva | UFC Fight Night | September 2025 | Lopes via KO (Spinning Back Elbow) | Featured a spectacular spinning back elbow finish. |
How the “Best Fights” Are Determined
The “Fight of the Year” is typically crowned at the end of the calendar year through a combination of fan votes and official selections from major MMA outlets. Key awards to watch include:
- The World MMA Awards: A prestigious award show where winners are chosen by online fan voting.
- Media Mid-Year Awards: Reputable publications like MMA Fighting, theScore, and MMA Mania release mid-year awards to highlight the best of the first half.
- Fan Rankings: Platforms like Tapology aggregate fan votes to create a live, consensus ranking of the best fights throughout the year.
Since we are still in October 2025, the final “Fight of the Year” has not yet been officially decided. The fights listed above are the current frontrunners based on the first three quarters of the year.