Hall of Famer Michael Bisping foresees a changing of the guard in four UFC divisions by the end of 2025.
Every year, the UFC crowns new champions in multiple divisions, guaranteeing a new landscape every 12 months. In 2024, titles changed hands seven times, and in 2023, a record-tying 11 times, so Bisping sees a higher level of stability coming by the end of 2025.
On TNT Sports’ “Fight Week,” Bisping made his predictions for the coming year along with his co-hosts Adam Catterall and Nick Peet.
Last year, Bisping went 6-12 on his year-end predictions, correctly naming champions Alexandre Pantoja, Islam Makhachev, Dricus Du Plessis, Alex Pereira, Tom Aspinall (interim), and Jon Jones.
By the end of this year, Bisping locked in a prediction of four new champions, and they would all be first-time undisputed titleholders in the UFC. Check out his picks and what he had to say about each selection below:
“I’ve got to go with Tatiana Suarez – I did say that this time last year. Of course, she’s fighting Zhang Weili, so we’ll see how that plays out. I just think the wrestling that Tatiana Suarez has is going to cause a lot of problems for a lot of people. This time next year, one way or another, she’ll be the champ.”
“The women’s bantamweight champion, there’s only going to be one name in discussion: Kayla Harrison. No offense to Julianna Peña, I think she’s great for the sport, she’s a fun person. She’s fun to sit and watch fights with because she talks a lot of s-h-i-t the whole time. She’s great, but Kayla Harrison, I believe, will be too big, too strong, too good at judo, too mentally strong, too fit. She’ll drag her down, she’ll get the submission, and she’ll also get the belt.”
“It’s interesting because I’m looking at the rankings here. I never thought we’d see a year where Robert Whittaker wasn’t in the conversation. It just shows the sport is such a cruel mistress. Obviously, Khamzat Chimaev squeezed his teeth out last time, and yeah, I’m gonna have to say Khazmzat. Dricus (Du Plessis) is a tremendous champion. I think him and Sean (Strickland) will have another close fight, but I think regardless, when Khamzat gets his chance, he’ll be victorious. I mean, what he did to Robert Whittaker – I’ll never underestimate that man ever again.”
“If there is an interim champion, it will be Tom Aspinall. However, I don’t think there will be one. I believe that the reason Tom isn’t fighting at London is because Jon Jones–Tom Aspinall will go down. The biggest heavyweight fight the sport has ever seen. Maybe the biggest fight period that this sport has ever seen. Jon Jones, Tom Aspinall, and when the dust settles, ‘Tommy Aspinall, Aspinall, Tommy Aspinall! Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na!’”
