The MMA All-Star Team is back!
2025 is in the books, and a lot of stuff happened. Violent knockouts, slick submissions, and back-and-forth wars — along with a shockingly high number of spinning elbow KOs
— were all over the place for the past 12 months, and it’s time to celebrate those fine fighters who delivered them
The concept is simple: The three fighters in each weight class who had the best year based on excitement, activity, and accomplishment. We’re not just talking about who are the best fighters, but which fighters delivered the most entertainment throughout the year. Losses aren’t necessarily disqualifying, and neither are decisions (so long as they weren’t boring).
I’ve been doing this for several years now, but the great Jordan Breen originated the idea with the first All-Violence Team for Sherdog 15 years ago. Tragically, Breen passed away earlier this year at just 38 years old. This list is dedicated to him. Rest In Peace, Jordan.
Heavyweight
First Team: Waldo Cortes-Acosta
Heading into 2025, few could have foreseen this kind of turnaround for “Salsa Boy,” as Cosrtes-Acosta was coming off a widely panned performance against Robelis Despaigne. Well, WCA apparently heard the criticisms because he took this year by storm, fighting five times, getting four wins, three stoppages, and two Performance bonuses. Although he lost to Sergei Pavlovich in August, WCA’s torrid run through the heavyweight division might even have him on the cusp of title contention if he beats Derrick Lewis at UFC 324.
Second Team: Valter Walker
In most other years, Walker would be the clear First Team All-Violence heavyweight, delivering three first-round heel hook finishes, which earned him two Performance bonuses and second place for Submission of the Year. Unfortunately for Walker, Cortes-Acosta fought nearly twice as much and against better opposition, giving him the edge. Still, Walker’s 2025 campaign solidified him as one of the few exciting up-and-comers at heavyweight, which is nothing to sneeze at. Now, let’s see if he can make it five heel hooks in a row with his next opponent.
Third Team: Vadim Nemkov
While others in the heavyweight division may have scored more victories, no one was as dominant as Nemkov was over solid opposition. In January, he submitted Tim Johnson in just over three minutes, and in December, he tapped out Renan Ferreira four minutes to win the inaugural PFL heavyweight championship, all while barely taking a scratch. Now it looks like Nemkov might get the biggest fight of his career next, against former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.
Honorable Mentions: Ante Delija, Mario Pinto, Phil De Fries, Shamil Erdogan, Vitor Petrino
Light Heavyweight
First Team: Jiri Prochazka
As impossible as this sounds, this is Prochazka’s first time being selected to our All-Violence team. One of the most exciting fighters to ever step into the cage, Prochazka was up-and-down the last few years thanks to his repeated losses to Alex Pereira. But in a year where he didn’t face “Poatan,” Prochazka reaffirmed himself as one of the best fighters in the world, with scintillating performances against Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree, earning two Performance bonuses and a Fight of the Night bonus as well. On top of that, both of Prochakza’s wins this year were on the short list for Fight of the Year and Knockout of the Year, making him the clear First Team selection.
Second Team: Bogdan Guskov
2025 was a breakout year for Guskov, who surged up the light heavyweight rankings early on with back-to-back finishes over Billy Elekena and Nikita Krylov. The man I affectionately refer to as “NoHo Hank” then got his big shot against Jan Blachowicz, a man notoriously difficult to look good against. That fight ended in a draw, but it was a fun, back-and-forth affair with both men scoring knockdowns and generally beating the tar out of each other. And with his other performances, that was enough to earn Guskov Second Team honors, his first such award.
Third Team: Iwo Baraniewski
A relative newcomer to MMA, Baraniewski made quite the splash in 2025. Baraniewski won just his fifth professional fight in March, a first-round TKO at Babilon MMA 51, and earned a shot on Contender Series in September, where he scored a contract after a 20-second KO. Baraniewski then made his promotional debut at UFC 323, where he and Ibo Aslan channeled their inner Don Frye and Yoshihiro Takayama, leading to the best round and one of the best fights of 2025.
Honorable Mentions: AbdulRakhman Yakhyaev, Azamat Murzakanov, Boris Mbarga Atangana, Jimmy Crute, Modestas Bukauskas
Middleweight
First Team: Ateba Gautier
Gautier made his UFC debut in March, and few fighters have ever had such an impressive start to their UFC careers. Three fights, three first-round knockouts, and two Performance bonuses are all you can ask for from a violence perspective, and it seems like there’s plenty more to come from the 23-year-old Cameroonian. “The Silent Assassin” figures to be a staple of this list for years to come.
Second Team: Reinier de Ridder
For the first nine months of 2025, “RDR” looked like the runaway winner for First Team All-Violence and a dark horse Fighter of the Year candidate. First, he stopped Kevin Holland, then he handed Bo Nickal his first career loss (and earned a Performance bonus on top) before beating former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in a back-and-forth affair. But sometimes, Icarus flies too close to the sun, and de Ridder struggled against Brendan Allen at UFC Vancouver, losing via getting super tired, relegating him to Second Team All-Violence.
Third Team: Christian Leroy Duncan
This was a razor-close decision between “CLD” and Baisangur Susurkaev, who both had strong 2025s, but Duncan edged it out on the back of two spinning knockouts — one elbow, one backfist — that earned him two Performance of the Night bonuses. Had “CLD” delivered a more memorable performance against Andrey Pulyaev in his first fight of the year, he may even have made it to Second Team.
Honorable Mentions: Anthony Hernandez, Baisangur Susurkaev, Brendan Allen, Gregory Rodrigues, Kyle Daukaus, Nassourdine Imavov
Welterweight
First Team: Michael Morales
The First Team selection at welterweight was a rock fight between the top three contenders, but the quality of the wins edges it out for Morales, who scored two devastating first-round knockouts this year and earned bonuses for both. In May, Morales ran through former title challenger Gilbert Burns, and then in November, Morales made easy work of top contender Sean Brady, potentially setting the 26-year-old up for a title shot in 2026.
Second Team: Carlos Prates
The first repeat Team member of the year! Prates was the 2024 First Team All-Violence welterweight after a sensational year, and followed that up with only a slightly less fantastic 2025. Prates lost his first bout of the year, dropping a decision to Ian Machado Garry, but rallied at the end of the fight, and then delivered two highlight-reel finishes to close out 2025 — a spinning back elbow KO of Geoff Neal, and a left hand heat against Leon Edwards. If Prates keeps up this prolific pace, he’s likely to make an All-Violence team again in 2026.
Third Team: Gabriel Bonfim
With all the excitement going on at welterweight right now, Bonfim feels like the forgotten man, despite turning in an exceptional 2025 campaign. “Marretinha” fought three times in 2025, with a split decision win over Stephen Thompson sandwiched between bonus-winning stoppages over Khaos Williams and Randy Brown. Though he won all three fights and Prates lost once in 2025, Prates’ superior wins, and the questionable nature of Bonfim’s decision, give the Marlboro Man the edge.
Honorable Mentions: Daniel Rodriguez, Ramiz Brahimaj, Thad Jean, Uros Medic, Yaroslav Amosov
Lightweight
First Team: Benoit Saint Denis
Justin Gaethje is the most exciting fighter to ever step into the octagon, but if he has a spiritual successor, it’s Benoit Saint Denis. The 30-year-old “God of War” was the 2023 First Team All-Violence lightweight, and after a down year in 2024, returns to the top spot this year. Three wins, three finishes, and two Performance bonuses, including one for a 16-second KO of Beneil Dariush in November, get “BSD” right back to his rightful place as one of the most exciting fighters in all of MMA.
Second Team: Quillan Salkilld
Another UFC debutant who entered the octagon and immediately started making waves, Salkilld went 3-0 in 2025, after getting signed off Contender Series in 2024. The Australian fighter won a Performance bonus for knocking out Anshul Jubli in February, followed that up with a decision over Yanal Ashmouz in June, and then ended the year by knocking out Nasrat Haqparast with a headkick that garnered KO of the Year votes, and pushed Salkilld into the Second Team spot.
Third Team: Chris Duncan
Wow, what a year for people named Chris Duncan!
Lightweight Duncan joins middleweight Duncan on the All-Violence Third Team after a quietly great 2025. In March, Duncan submitted Jordan Vucenic, then he had a Fight of the Night battle with Mateusz Rebecki in August, and closed the year by choking out Terrance McKinney at UFC 323.
Honorable Mentions: Akbar Abdullaev, Alexander Hernandez, Manuel Torres, Terrance McKinney, Usman Nurmagomedov
Featherweight
First Team: Jean Silva
Since making his UFC debut in 2024, few fighters in the world have been more violent than Jean Silva. The Fighting Nerds featherweight nearly lit the octagon on fire in 2025, kicking the year off with a Performance winning knockout of Melsik Baghdasaryan, before following that up with a Performance winning submission over Bryce Mitchell that was voted third-best submission of the year. Unfortunately, Silva lost his final fight of 2025, getting knocked out by Diego Lopes in September, but before the finish, “Lord” was putting on a show, and the fight earned Fight of the Night honors, as well as some Fight of the Year consideration. If you’re in the top 10 for two “Best of the Year” awards, you’re probably a First Team All-Violence guy.
Second Team: Melquizael Costa
Costa was one of the Breakthrough Fighters of 2025, on the back of a very active campaign. “The Dalmatian” picked up four victories, two finishes, and a Fight of the Night bonus in 2025, closing out the year with a highlight reel head kick finish of Morgan Charriere in the final UFC event of the year. Costa arguably should have earned First Team honors this year, but the lackluster decision over Christian Rodriguez brought him down to Second Team.
Third Team: Razhabali Shaydullaev
There are probably some of you who have no idea who this is, and that’s a shame, because this man is GAS. 25 years old and 17-0, the man from Kyrgyzstan has never seen the judges’ scorecards. He’s basically a featherweight Shavkat Rakhmonov, only he’s also the RIZIN featherweight champion. He took the belt from Kleber Koike in May with a 62-second knockout, then defended it in September against Viktor Kolesmik, scoring a 33-second knockout. He then closed the year out just a couple of days ago with another title defense, stopping Mikuru Asakura with strikes in the first round.
Shaydullaev is a real dude, so be on the lookout for him in 2026.
Honorable Mentions: Diego Lopes, Ethyn Ewing, Jesus Pinedo, Kevin Vallejos, Lerone Murphy
Bantamweight
First Team: Merab Dvalishvili
Our only repeat First Team All-Violence member, I caught a lot of flak for giving this honor to Dvalishvili in 2024, but I don’t think that will be the case this year. You won’t find many people more critical of Dvalishvili than I am, but in 2025, “The Machine” made me eat my words about his fighting style.
His battle with Umar Nurmagomedov was a Fight of the Year contender, and he followed that up by finishing Sean O’Malley in his second title defense. Then Dvalishvili beat the brakes off Cory Sandhagen, and looked to be headed to a Fighter of the Year win, before attempting a fourth title defense in one year. That backfired, and he lost to Petr Yan, but that was still one of the better fights of 2025. All told, Dvalishvili amassed four fights, three wins, one finish, one Performance bonus, and two Fight of the Night bonuses in 2025.
Second Team: Petr Yan
While Yan beat Dvalishvili in their rematch at UFC 323, he loses out to him here because of the sparse nature of his resumé. Yan fought twice in 2025, taking decision wins in both. The first was a clean but forgettable win over Marcus McGhee, while the second was the aforementioned Fight of the Year contender against Dvalishvili. That win carries the most water here as it was one of the greatest championship performances of all time, and in a year where very, very few fighters stood out at bantamweight, Yan makes Second Team.
Third Team: Sergio Pettis
2025 was another down year for bantamweight violence, but Sergio Pettis did his best to make up for where others lacked. In June, he won a competitive decision over Raufeon Stots, but the real highlight of his 2025 was his spinning backfist knockout of Magomed Magomedov at PFL Champions Series 2 in October.
Honorable Mentions: Aiemann Zahabi, David Martinez, Payton Talbot, Raoni Barcelos, Vinicius Oliveira
Flyweight
First Team: Joshua Van
Van continues to add to his growing hardware collection as the UFC flyweight champion adds First Team All-Violence selection to his trophy case, as well.
Van was MMA Fighting’s Breakthrough Fighter of the Year and finished top five for Fighter of the Year, also, so this was a no-brainer. Van won four fights in 2025, picked up two stoppages (albeit the win over Alexandre Pantoja was obviously weird), and one Fight of the Night bonus that was also Fight of the Year. In total, Van landed 390 significant strikes this year across 44 minutes and 27 seconds of fighting, averaging out to almost nine per minute, which is why he currently sits atop the UFC’s record book for most significant strikes landed per minute. An easy choice.
Second Team: Manel Kape
It’s beautiful when the All-Violence team reflects the best fighters in the division, and it does so this year as Kape is not only the Second Team selection, but also quite possibly the man who will challenge Van first.
Kape has long been viewed as one of the best flyweights alive, but this year he proved his supporters correct, knocking out Asu Almanayev in March to earn a Performance bonus, and then smoking former title challenger Brandon Royval just a few weeks ago to earn his second bonus of the year, and maybe a title shot.
Third Team: Tatsuro Taira
If Kape isn’t the next title challenger at flyweight, it may well be Taira, who returned to the All-Violence selection for the first time since 2023 after a strong campaign this year.
Taira got a late start to the year, submitting Hyun Sung Park in August after Amir Albazi withdrew from their planned bout, but he followed it up with the biggest win of his career, becoming the first person to finish former two-time champion Brandon Moreno when he scored a TKO at UFC 323.
Honorable Mentions: Allan Nascimento, Alden Coria, Joseph Morales, Marcos Degli, Muhammad Mokaev
Women’s Bantamweight
First Team: Joselyne Edwards
Women’s bantamweight is always one of the more difficult weight classes to choose, as there are simply not that many fights that take place in the weight class. Fortunately, there were at least a few good contenders this year, but none better than Edwards, who picked up two stoppage wins in 2025, over Chelsea Chandler and Priscila Cachoeira, the latter of which earned her a Performance bonus.
Second Team: Bia Mesquita
Though Mesquita only fought once in the UFC in 2025, the jiu-jitsu legend also won the bantamweight title in LFA, stopping the undefeated Sierra Dinwoodie with strikes. She then made her UFC debut and submitted Irina Alekseeva, earning a bonus for her efforts.
Third Team: Emily Martins
Another fighter that’s not a household name but should come to prominence soon, Martins is the CFFC women’s bantamweight champion after a strong 2025 run, which saw her score three rear-naked choke wins, claim the CFFC belt, and defend it once. Martins may well make her way to the UFC in 2026 to bolster a bantamweight division desperately in need of it.
Honorable Mentions: Jacqueline Cavalcanti, Kayla Harrison, Luana Santos, Lucia Szabova, Yana Santos
Women’s Flyweight
First Team: Liz Carmouche
Shout out to Liz Carmouche, who is 41 years old and 15 years into her MMA career, and is still delivering the goods.
After losing in the PFL tournament in 2024, “Girl-Rilla” rebounded in 2025 with three wins, including two finishes and a PFL tournament win. Carmouche stopped Ilara Joane in April with a body shot, won a decision over Elora Dana in June, and then finished Jena Bishop to claim the PFL tournament title. A showdown with two-time All-Violence member Dakota Ditcheva seems like it’s destined to happen next year.
Second Team: Carli Judice
I’ve long been on the corner that Judice is the future of the flyweight division, and when I’m proven right in a few years, 2025 is the year we’ll look back on as the beginning.
Judice fought twice in 2025 and delivered two brutal finishes, which earned her two Performance bonuses. Yuneisy Duben at a “Crispy” head kick in March, and then Judice finished Nicolle Caliari with a knee to the body in July. Expect to see her on these lists for years to come.
Third Team: Valentina Shevchenko
I’ll be the first to admit that Shevchenko’s 2025, while phenomenally impressive, was not the most thrilling affair to watch for the casual observer. Still, there weren’t a lot of standout efforts, from a violence standpoint, in the flyweight division, and dominant wins over Manon Fiorot and Zhang Weili count for something. Shevchenko should have won Fighter of the Year honors, but instead, she can settle for her first Violence Team placement.
Honorable Mentions: Jamey-Lyn Horth, Jasmine Jasudavicius, Jiesla Chavez, Sabrinna de Sousa, Wang Cong
Strawweight
First Team: Fatima Kline
Not many women had a better 2025 than Fatima Kline. In January, Kline beat the soul out of Victoria Dudakova for her first finish since 2023. She followed that up with a head kick knockout of Melissa Martinez that earned her a Performance bonus in July, before finishing the year by beating the tar out of Angela Hill for 15 one-sided minutes.
Second Team: Mackenzie Dern
As one of the few people who never gave up on Dern becoming a champion one day, you have no idea how hard it was not to give her the top spot. The highlight of Dern’s year is, of course, winning the strawweight title at UFC 321, but I think it’s already been forgotten how back-and-forth and outright fun that fight was. And before that, Dern submitted Amanda Ribas, earning a Performance bonus, which is enough for Second Team honors.
Third Team: Loopy Godinez
In a very weak year, Godinez earns her second All-Violence team bid for a pair of fun decision wins over Julia Polastri and Jessica Andrade. In other years, this wouldn’t be enough to warrant consideration, but there simply weren’t enough high-violence efforts in the strawweight division this year.
Honorable Mentions: Aieza Bertolso, Alexia Thainara, Ayaka Miura, Denise Gomes, Mackenzie Stiller
At-Large Bids
First Team: Seika Izawa
The At-Large spot is basically the “Seika Izawa” section of these awards. The 2023 First Team and 2024 Second Team selection, Izawa returns to the top spot after a full 2025 slate that saw her score three wins and two finishes, including a comeback win over Rena Kubota at RIZIN just a few days ago. The RIZIN atomweight champion is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, and we are always happy to celebrate her achievements.
Second Team: Islam Makhachev
The other purpose of At-Large bids is for fighters who compete across multiple weight classes, and so it’s a fitting place to put the UFC welterweight champion. Makhachev won the 2025 Fighter of the Year award, but because he competed once in each weight class, it’s tough to justify him for either All-Violence selection. But a year in which you roll over a top 10 opponent in minutes, and then move up and dominate the champion of another weight class for 25 minutes is worth recognizing.
Third Team: Joy Pendell
With Cris Cyborg only competing once in 2025, the somewhat default women’s featherweight spot goes to Joy Pendell, who competed in Invicta, Urijah Faber’s A1 Combat, and Supreme Fight Night in 2025, picking up four wins and four submissions, three in the first round.
Congratulations to the 2025 All-Violence Team. You shall not become obscure like Danny Lafever.
