2024 has been a pretty good year for the UFC. With a couple of top ten PPV gate collections, some new records for Fight Night cards, and many memorable marquee events, the year has been a roaring success for the promotion. Not to mention the promotion’s association with Donald Trump has also helped it make headlines and become a crucial part of the American mainstream cultural consciousness.

And 2025 promises to continue this momentum. After all, there are a bunch of new and exciting champions and some of the most prestigious divisions are seeing a change of guard. In addition, many fan-favorite stars are expected to make their comeback. So, let’s dive in to see which of our favorite UFC gladiators can be seen battling it out inside the Octagon next year.

Conor McGregor

Dana White has said that if Conor McGregor comes back, it will be sometime next year. The Irishman, of course, hasn’t fought since 2021 after breaking his leg horrifically at UFC 264. The Irishman remains MMA’s biggest-ever star and his comeback would be a huge event if it ever happens.

After all, ‘Mystic Mac’ is currently in talks to fight one of the Paul brothers in a boxing exhibition first half of 2025. Some fear this means that the Irishman will never be back as he can make millions just by boxing other celebrities and retired boxers past their prime. On the other hand, Conor McGregor is still signed with the UFC and has two fights left on his current contract.

The Dubliner will remain under the UFC’s thumb and need their approval to fight anyone as long as he’s signed to them. It makes sense for him to come back and fight out his contract just so he can be free of the UFC’s yoke. Not to mention the Irishman himself is pretty vocal about wanting to fight in the UFC again, which is why it is pretty likely we see him headlining a UFC event second half of 2025.

Jorge Masvidal

Jorge Masvidal bid adieu to the sport in 2023, but kept the door open for the “right fight”. While there hasn’t been a ‘right fight’ (like, say, a rematch with Nate Diaz) where the fans missed him, the Cuban-American has decided to come back nonetheless.

During this time, he founded a promotion named ‘Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA’ and fought Nate Diaz in the boxing ring. But now he is determined to return to the Octagon. ‘Gamebred’ has revealed that he is targeting the UFC Miami Fight Night card in April 2025 but an opponent has not been finalized yet.

In fact, finding Masvidal an opponent might be something of an issue for the promotion. After all, the former BMF champ is 40 and lost his last four fights. None of the ranked guys are a possibility for him but another veteran like the next man on our list could be his a good choice.

Tony Ferguson

Tony Ferguson won’t technically be ‘coming back’ since he is only semi-retired, perfectly encapsulated by his strange decision to leave just one glove in the Octagon after his UFC Abu Dhabi clash against Michael Chiesa in August 2024.

‘El Cucuy’, of course, has gone from being the boogeyman of the division, notching up twelve consecutive wins between 2013 and ’19 to being on an eight-fight losing streak. But since Ferguson still wants to continue fighting, despite literally everyone- even his most fervent fans and Dana White- asking him not to.

But if he wants to fight again, which he does, the UFC will probably find him an opponent, and we will probably see him back in action in 2025. Maybe, hopefully, for the very last time.

Donald Cerrone

Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone is the embodiment of ‘anyone, anytime anywhere’. The American has probably taken more short-notice fights than anyone in the history of the sport, and often fought four, five times, or even more in a year! The dude just absolutely loves fighting.

Until he retired in July 2022, after getting submitted by fellow veteran Jim Miller in the second round. Cerrone fought four times even in the last year of his UFC stint. This is why it wasn’t surprising to see him enter the UFC’s d–g testing pool in 2024. ‘Cowboy’ took to social media and wrote “It’s not a Comeback!! Just a better Ending,” confirming his upcoming comeback.

Nate Diaz

Nate Diaz bowed out of the UFC after fighting out his contract in 2022. In his typical no-nonsense style, the welterweight has also expressed displeasure over the UFC’s business practices. After leaving the promotion, the Stockton embarked on a boxing career and has fought Jake Paul and Jorge Masvidal in the ring since his UFC exit.

Diaz remains beloved among UFC fans and is very much a needle mover. In fact, Dana White and Co. reportedly reached out to him trying to make him come back earlier this year. Diaz, too, has said that he wants to be back in the UFC.

Even his decision to turn down a $15 million offer to fight Jake Paul in MMA under the banner of PFL is seen as a clear indication that he wants to go back to the UFC and doesn’t want to make Dana White mad. This is why it is more than likely that Nate Diaz will be back in the UFC Octagon next year. Which star would you like to see fight most in 2025? Tell us about your pick in the comment section below!