Conor McGregor’s contributions to the rise of MMA, let alone the UFC, can never be compared to the other greats in this sport. He made it big not only for himself but for his opponents and the next generation of fighters as well. However, in the wake of his extended time out of action and outside-the-Octagon controversies, there are doubts that maybe we have seen the last of the Irishman.

So if that’s the case, then who can possibly take up his superstar mantle? It seems like Dana White has a few fighters who have shown potential to build a legacy comparable to or even richer than the Irishman. 2024 has given us a pretty good idea on that front, so here’s a list of a few fighters who could light up the UFC in 2025, and the first pick is kind of obvious.

Alex Pereira

There haven’t been many naysayers among the members of the MMA community after Alex Pereira bagged the UFC ‘Fighter of the Year’ honor on the back of his impressive 2024. No champion has been as active as ‘Poatan’, who defended his light heavyweight title thrice in a record span of 175 days. One of those defenses also involved him stepping up on short notice at UFC 303, which was originally set to be headlined by Conor McGregor, but the latter had to sit out this one due to an injury.

Another important fact that supports Alex Pereira‘s case to be the face of the UFC is the way he ends his fights. Fans love knockouts and that’s what ‘Poatan’ is a master at. However, the most stunning record that Pereira holds is his journey to becoming the UFC champion. Although he hasn’t been a simultaneous two-weight champion, he did conquer two divisions in just seven fights. For context, Conor McGregor won his first undisputed title in his seventh fight.

“He’s ready to turn around and wants to fight again right away. He’s that guy and he’s a savage. The guy’s an absolute stud,” Dana White said about Alex Pereira after his UFC 303 triumph. Meanwhile, there’s another fighter who’s been picked by other members of the MMA community as the ‘Fighter of the Year’, Ilia Topuria.

Ilia Topuria

Ilia Topuria‘s UFC career trajectory has been similar to that of Conor McGregor. The Georgian-Spaniard has also been called out for copying the Irishman’s antics, like snatching and hoisting Alexander Volkanovski‘s belt before he earned it at UFC 298. But unlike McGregor, Topuria is in the mix and has cemented his legacy in the featherweight division in a very short time by defeating ‘Volk’ and becoming the first fighter to finish the decorated Max Holloway. What more can you ask for?

Well, there are cries for a UFC event in Spain and the promotion is going to do that in 2025. There’s no question that the headlining act will include the current 145lbs kingpin, who believes that he is the “one” to carry the promotion forward while staying at the top of the food chain. ” I always lived as a world champion. In my mind, I always was a world champion… I felt like the world champion, and I keep feeling that way,” Ilia Topuria told the UFC prior to his UFC 308 showdown.

Having won and defended his title against two arguable 145-pound greats, Topuria is also one of the few fighters with an undefeated streak in the UFC. However, there’s another fighter who’s been lying low since UFC 306. Let us see!

Sean O’Malley

There’s no doubt that losing his 135lbs title and getting dominated wasn’t the plan Sean O’Malley had when he stepped inside the Octagon against Merab Dvalishvili. However, his headlining PPV drew the biggest gate collection in the history of Dana White’s promotion. Yes, UFC 306 reportedly garnered a $22 million gate, where, of course, the venue of the event, the Sphere, was the main attraction that night.

However, we can not take anything away from Sean O’Malley. Although the fight was lackluster, he was still able to cross Conor McGregor’s UFC 205 record of $17.7 million gate collection. Also, the UFC head honcho has pretty high hopes for O’Malley, who believes that the former bantamweight champion has the potential to become a globally renowned athlete.

“O’Malley isn’t gonna be a star, he is a star,” said a blunt Dana White after Sean O’Malley defeated Aljamain Sterling to win the bantamweight title at UFC 292. While he might have had a setback recently, ‘Suga’ is still going strong, especially on his social media handles and his podcast with his coach Tim Welch, and has a lot of fan engagement. Hence, he does make a case to be the next big thing after Conor McGregor.

We are just a few days away from 2025 and it will be interesting to see who seizes the next year in the UFC. While a new superstar could emerge, we might even get to see Conor McGregor return. What do you think? Let us know in the comments down below.