Why SEVEN UFC champions could lose their belts in 2025 and it's bad news for Jon Jones

As many as seven of the current 11 UFC champions have been tipped to lose their belts this year.

After 19 title fights in 2024, UFC fans saw the championship belts across the 11 weight classes change hands seven times.

Exciting new champions like Ilia Topuira and Dricus du Plessis established themselves as some of the best fighters in the world, with huge wins over some of the biggest names in the UFC.

Meanwhile former champions Valentina Shevchenko and Juliana Pena returned to reclaim their belts and become two-time world champions.

And ahead of the first title fights of 2025, SPORTbible give our take on which belts are most likely to change hands, and we've identified seven champions who could be at risk this year.

1 - Merab Dvalishvili - Bantamweight

Having dethroned Sean O'Malley with a dominant performance during the historic UFC 306 card in the Las Vegas sphere, taking his record over former champions to 4-0, many fans have argued that Dvalishvili could now lead the bantamweight division for some time.

However, the Georgian champion has a tough task ahead of him as he faces Umar Nurmagomedov, cousin of UFC legend Khabib, in his first title defence on Saturday in Los Angeles.

Although it is entirely possible that Dvalishvili's wrestling combined with his superior striking could take him to victory, we are predicting Nurmagomedov's elite grappling to allow him to claim the bantamweight title this weekend.

2 - Belal Muhammad - Welterweight

Muhammad broke the hearts of all British UFC fans when he beat Leon Edwards during their rematch in Manchester in July.

Since then, the Palestinian fighter is yet to defend his championship belt, but he is expected to do so early in 2025 after he was forced to pull out of his bout with top contender Shavkat Rakhmonov in December due to an injury.

Despite the short notice, Rakhmonov agreed to stay on the UFC 310 fight card and face fellow contender Ian Garry, winning the fight via decision and cementing his place and the next title challenger.

And once the highly-rated Kazakh fighter finally steps into the cage with Muhammad, we expect him to come away with the welterweight title wrapped around his waist.

3 - Dricus du Plessis - Middleweight

Du Plessis had a fantastic year in 2024, winning the belt after a gruelling fight against then-champion Sean Strickland, before producing perhaps the submission of the year in his first title defence against former champion Israel Adesanya.

The South African is set to rematch Strickland in February and, should he once again walk away with the belt, there aren't many left in the middleweight division that can likely provide enough of a challenge for the South African champion.

However, both Du Plessis and Strickland are yet to face one of the most intimidating men in the sport, Khamzat Chimaev.

After a brutal submission win over former champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 308, Chimaev clearly stands out as the next man to fight for the title after Du Plessis and Strickland clash next month.

And unfortunately for both men, we can see no other outcome than Chimaev winning the belt once he gets his shot later this year.

Middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis defended his belt against former champ Israel Adesanya last year. (Image: Getty)

4 - Alex Pereira - Light Heavyweight

With an incredible three title defences this year, light heavyweight champion Pereira was arguably the best fighter in the whole of the UFC in 2024.

The Brazilian started the year with a first round knockout victory over former champion Jamahal Hill, before claiming his second knockout over another former champion, Jiri Prochazka, and a late finish over Khalil Rountree Jr after a brutal four-round war.

However, one criticism that has followed Pereira's reign as champion has been that he is yet to face an elite grappler, and in 2025 that appears set to change.

In his first fight this year, Pereira is expected to face Magomed Ankalaev and, unfortunately for fans of the popular champion, we predict that the Russian's ground game could be too much for 'Poatan'.

Even if the 37-year-old is successful in a future fight with Ankalaev, with only a few fights left in his career, it is possible that Pereira may decide to move up to heavyweight later this year, potentially vacating his light heavyweight title.

5 - Jon Jones- Heavyweight

After a 19-month layoff due to a pectoral injury, Jones finally made his return to the octagon in the final months of 2024, defending his heavyweight belt with a dominant performance over the division's best-ever champion, Stipe Miocic.

Britain's own Tom Aspinall defended his interim heavyweight title against Curtis Blaydes earlier in the year and his since been outspoken about his desire to unify the belts with a blockbuster fight with Jones this year.

Although Jones himself has remained coy about whether or not he intends to face the Englishman, we expect the UFC to make the legend an offer he can't refuse, forcing him to fight Aspinall in perhaps the biggest fight the sport has ever seen.

And of course, should the fight go down, we fully expect Aspinall to come out of it as the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion, and long may he reign.

Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall is perhaps the most anticipated fight in the UFC right now. (Image: Getty)

6 - Zhang Weili - Women's Strawweight

The women's strawweight division had a quiet year in 2024, with current champion Weili only defending her belt once against Yan Xiaonan at UFC 300 in April.

Although she impressed in the bout against her fellow Chinese fighter, we expect her reign to end when she faces America's Tatiana Suarez in the co-main event of UFC 312 next month.

7 - Juliana Pena - Women's Bantamweight

Pena reclaimed her bantamweight title with a controversial decision win over Raquel Pennington in the co-main event of UFC 307 in October.

However, we don't expect her to hold onto the belt for long, with Pena the most likely current UFC champion to lose her belt this year.

Waiting in the wings for her shot at the UFC belt is Kayla Harrison, who has looked unbeatable since joining the UFC in April.

Harrison is almost certain to win a future matchup with Pena and even if the current champion defends her belt, she could face a difficult rematch with former foe Amanda Nunes if she returns from retirement later in the year.