As 2024 disappears into the rear-view mirror, MMA fans around the world are already sharing their opinions as to what 2025 could have in store for the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
That includes UFC icon Chael Sonnen who, when speaking with Daniel Cormier on the latest episode of Good Guy/Bad Guy, revealed some seriously bold predictions for the new year.
Chael Sonnen shares his biggest ‘bold UFC prediction’ for 2025
There are bold predictions, and then there are BOLD predictions – and Chael Sonnen certainly skated that line with finesse as he revealed his forecast for the UFC in 2025.
“I’m actually very confident in the prediction [and] that is that Jon Jones retires.”
‘The Bad Guy’ quickly added that he still believes ‘Bones’ does fight one more time, that being against interim champion Tom Aspinall, and that the consensus GOAT will “do a lot better than some people are giving him credit for.
“When that fight is done, win or lose, I do believe that it will be Jon’s final appearance [in the UFC]. He’s been looking for a way out, he’s been talking to the fans and seeing what I need to do before I go, he thought Stipe might be that door out – but that got delayed a little bit.”
Sonnen mercilessly roasted Jones in a nearly 10-minute YouTube video last week after ‘Bones’ shared an emotional end-of-year message to his fanbase.
“I think Jon does have a pretty clear deal with the audience right now that there’s only one left – I think that’s going to be Tom and also a goodbye from Jon Jones.”
The ‘Bad Guy’ reveals the one UFC fight he needs to see in 2025
Sonnen stated that whilst he believes that Bo Nickal will eventually claim the middleweight title – it might not fall within the next 12-month cycle.
However, the ‘Bad Guy’ is desperate to see the undefeated American testing himself against a fellow undefeated phenom, Khamzat ‘Borz’ Chimaev, in what is his ‘Must-See’ fight of 2025.
“I’ve got to get to Bo Nickal and Khamzat Chimaev [next year], I can’t keep these guys separated forever. We’re told that we don’t get to see this fight because of the discrepancy in the ranking… But those two have been aligned from Jump Street.”
Chimaev is currently the #3 ranked middleweight contender and despite Nickal having failed to crack the Top 15 following a substandard win at UFC 309, Sonnen reaffirmed that “We don’t have to adhere to the rankings as a way to avoid fights.
“I don’t know why we’re keeping them apart… Make the fights that you can make while you can make them.”
Sonnen rounds out predictions with ‘The Lioness’ and Dricus Du Plessis
Aside from Jon Jones retiring from MMA and the potential undefeated vs undefeated showdown between Chimaev and Nickal, Sonnen did have several more prophecies up his sleeve.
Both he and co-host Daniel Cormier believe that 2025 will also see the return of the greatest female fighter in MMA history – Amanda Nunes – especially if Kayla Harrison is able to wrestle custody of the bantamweight title away from Julianna Pena.
However, both UFC legends agree that such a bout would have to be made at 135lbs, rather than 145lbs; something that Cormier noted could work in favor of the popular Brazilian.
Then we come to Fighter of the Year for 2025, with Sonnen admitting that he’s done with underestimating the skillset (or ceiling) of South African brawler, Dricus Du Plessis.
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“Daniel, here’s the problem my friend, we didn’t know going into 2024 and we do not know now coming out of 2024, how good Dricus Du Plessis actually is.”
Stillknocks defends his middleweight title against Sean Strickland at UFC 312 in February.
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