Oct 5, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Alex Pereira (red gloves) reacts after defeating Khalil Rountree Jr. (blue gloves) in a light heavyweight title bout during UFC 307 at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

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UFC 2025 Speculations: Active UFC Fighters Who Can Move Up A Weight Class In 2025

Several active UFC fighters are considering moves to higher weight classes by 2025, setting the stage for thrilling matchups!

The UFC has always loved a good weight-class jump. From Daniel Cormier fighting at heavyweight to Conor McGregor capturing two belts, these moves create magic. 2025 might bring us some of the most exciting weight class jumps ever.

Despite Dana White not being too keen on the jump, the possibilities are endless. Let’s look at some wild but possible matchups that could happen.

Alex Pereira

The man they call ‘Poatan’ just keeps climbing. After winning titles at middleweight and light heavyweight, heavyweight calls him. A fight against either Jon Jones or Tom Aspinall would be pure fireworks.

"I WANT TO HAVE A FIGHT AT HEAVYWEIGHT" 😭😭😭

Alex Pereira is something SPECIAL! 👊#UFC300 | LIVE on TNT Sports & discovery+ pic.twitter.com/kYfDU3I4AX
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) April 14, 2024

While the size difference would be clear, Pereira’s knockout power might just be the great equalizer. Though heavyweight kings hit differently, Alex has shown he can dish out even bigger ones!

Ilia Topuria

Fresh off his stunning win against the tough Max Holloway, Topuria already wants more challenges. A move to 155 to face the Pound for Pound King Islam Makhachev would be absolutely brilliant.

Ilia Topuria says he’ll be the first person to submit Islam Makhachev:

“If someone could submit him, I will be the first one to submit him.”#UFC #MMA #UFC308 pic.twitter.com/DIF7qMznZn
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 26, 2024

Ilia Topuria’s boxing and grappling could make things interesting, even against Makhachev’s smothering style. The size might be tough to manage, but his power could carry up. Topuria’s confidence knows no bounds, and that’s exactly why fans love him!

Also Read: Wild Possibilities for Khamzat Chimaev’s Next Fight!

Khamzat Chimaev

‘Borz’ has already jumped from welterweight to middleweight. Now, the light heavyweight calls his name. A fight with Alex Pereira would be an absolute barn burner. Both guys are elite in their own respective ways.

There were rumors going around that this matchup might actually happen sooner rather than later. But nothing is official yet. If this does come to fruition, fans would be in for a true striker vs. grappler matchup. And only one will come out victorious.

Dricus Du Plessis

‘Stillknocks’ has that rare combination of cardio and power that could work at 205. Taking on Alex Pereira would be a massive test of his durability and skills. His awkward style and relentless pressure might give Pereira real problems.

Breaking news:

Alex Pereira said that he wants to fight Dricus Du Plessis at 185 lbs and DDP replied saying he'd come up to 205 lbs to fight Pereira for his belt 👀

They both want a shot at becoming a double champion against each other 🏆🏆 #UFC305 #ufc #danawhite… pic.twitter.com/selM9hNJWO
— Peace and Coffee ☕️ (@gr8ce4race) August 18, 2024

The South African has already shown that he can handle power punchers, but a light heavyweight is a different game. He has already traded verbal jabs with the light heavyweight champion, but fans might soon see them trading actual jabs!

Jamahal Hill

‘Sweet Dreams’ moving up to heavyweight sounds crazy, but so did his winning the light heavyweight belt! He recently hinted at a matchup against the interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. And this fight would be pure chaos.

Jamahal Hill teases a heavyweight debut against Tom Aspinall after #UFC300 👀

“I’m 240 [pounds] right now bro. I’m telling you, bro, I’m a big boy. It’s possible.

What the f*** is a power advantage? You can be a thousand times more powerful than me. I hit you first, what does… pic.twitter.com/iYc4XHHvFb
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) April 5, 2024

Hill’s boxing could cause problems, but Aspinall’s size and speed would be tough to handle. Still, Hill’s never been one to shy away from a challenge.

These potential moves might seem wild, but that’s what makes MMA so fun. Some will probably never happen, but a few might shock fans. After all, who thought fans would see Pereira as a two-division champ? In the world of combat sports, sometimes the craziest ideas turn into the best fights.

(Image Credits: Stephen R. Sylvanie – Imagn Images)

Alex Pereira

Dricus Du Plessis

Ilia Topuria

Jamahal Hill

Khamzat Chiamev

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!