Happy Thanksgiving, Maniacs! We hope you have a great holiday that includes food, family, and memories that last a lifetime.
It’s been a strange year for mixed martial arts (MMA) in 2025. While there have
been some fantastic fights and moments, it has been kind of “meh” for the most part. There are still two more Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fight cards left (schedule here), and Professional Fighters League (PFL) has a big card still (details). Oh, and RIZIN will also have its huge New Year’s Eve event.
Nevertheless, because it’s Thanksgiving, I wanted to list five UFC/MMA things that we’re thankful for in 2025:
Goodbye ESPN!
The UFC’s relationship with ESPN was a mixed bag.
Sure, the sport exploded into the mainstream thanks to the partnership — boosted even further by the pandemic sports boom and gambling interest — and being aligned with the world’s biggest sports network helped introduce MMA to millions.
But the downsides were real. To satisfy its broadcasting deal, UFC routinely pushed out watered-down cards across 43 events per year. And while the new Paramount+ deal will keep the volume high, the death of pay-per-view (PPV) might force the promotion to stack its biggest shows again (wishful thinking, but let us dream).
Most importantly: good riddance to the piece of crap ESPN+ app. Lagging, crashing, endless looping commercials, a miserable library … it was torture. Paramount+ has a low bar to clear.
I am optimistic about this new Paramount deal, so hopefully it delivers more than the ESPN deal.
NO MORE PPVS!
With the ESPN era ending, PPV goes with it—and that’s something every fight fan’s wallet can celebrate.
Dana White spent years insisting that paying $80 a month for fights was still a viable model, even as every other major sport shifted to streaming. Now, with UFC programming folded into Paramount+, fights will cost $12.99 a month (soon $16.99), not $1,080 per year.
Even if the subscription creeps up over time, it’ll still beat the old PPV model by a mile.
No More Champ-Champs
Hot take: I’m thankful the UFC finally killed champ-champ aspirations.
Yes, it was cool to watch fighters hold two belts at once, but divisions were constantly frozen. Fans waited endlessly. Interim titles sprouted like weeds. And for what — a photo op?
Recent champions like Islam Makhachev and Zhang Weili vacating their belts to chase history only underscored how disruptive the trend became. Ilia Topuria did it too, but at least he had a couple defenses.
It may be an unpopular stance, but the sport is better when divisions move and champions defend. Champ-champs can stay in the past.
PFL’s Big Changes
PFL’s tournament format had run its course. It was repetitive, predictable, and often deprived the promotion of its best possible matchups.
Enter new PFL CEO John Martin, who took over in July and immediately shook things up. Beginning in 2026, the main league is scrapping tournaments entirely. Every division will now feature a sitting champion, and PFL will focus on making compelling fights year-round. Imagine that.
PFL is still a distant No. 2 behind UFC, but a strong, functional alternative is good for fighters and great for the sport. The regional PFL leagues (PFL MENA, Africa, Latin America, Europe) will keep the tournament structure — not that many are watching those anyway. (Unless you’re on VICE, I guess.)
Thank you, John Martin, for evolving PFL.
Contender Series, Season Nine
Season nine of Contender Series absolutely delivered — arguably outperforming several UFC cards this year.
There were brutal knockouts, slick submissions, some of the best fights of the year … in all of MMA.
Five fighters from the season have already competed inside the Octagon, and all five of them have won – Baysangur Susurkaev (watch highlights), Cam Rowston, Josh Hokit (watch highlights), and Donte Johnson (watch highlights), and Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev (watch highlights).
And more talent is on the way. Keep an eye on Louis Lee Scott, Lerryan Douglas, Kurtis Campbell, Magomed Zaynukov, and Marwan Rahiki.
MMA had its ups and downs in 2025, but there’s still plenty to appreciate — and even more to look forward to next year. Happy Thanksgiving, Maniacs.
To checkout UFC’s upcoming schedule of events click here.
