The MMA All-Star Team for 2025 highlights the most entertaining fighters across weight classes, celebrating their achievements in exciting performances, with the list dedicated to the late Jordan Breen.
The MMA All-Star Team is back!
2025 is in the books, and wow, what a year. From violent knockouts to slick submissions, the action was relentless. Spinning elbow KOs were surprisingly frequent, too. Time to celebrate those fighters who delivered the thrills.
The concept is simple: spotlight the top three fighters in each weight class based on excitement, activity, and accomplishment. It’s not just about being the best; it’s about delivering the most entertainment. Losses and decisions? Not necessarily deal-breakers.
I’ve been doing this for years, but the great Jordan Breen started it all with the first All-Violence Team for Sherdog 15 years ago. Sadly, Breen passed away earlier this year. This list is dedicated to him. RIP, Jordan.
First Team: Waldo Cortes-Acosta. Heading into 2025, few saw this coming for “Salsa Boy.” He fought five times, snagged four wins, three stoppages, and two Performance bonuses. Despite losing to Sergei Pavlovich, he’s on the cusp of title contention if he beats Derrick Lewis at UFC 324.
Second Team: Valter Walker. Normally a first pick, Walker delivered three first-round heel hook finishes and earned two Performance bonuses. But Cortes-Acosta’s frequent fights against tougher opponents gave him the edge. Walker’s still one to watch.
While others in the heavyweight division may have scored more victories, no one was as dominant as Nemkov. Submissions over Tim Johnson and Renan Ferreira earned him the inaugural PFL heavyweight championship. Next up? Possibly Francis Ngannou.
Honorable Mentions: Ante Delija, Mario Pinto, Phil De Fries, Shamil Erdogan, Vitor Petrino.
First Team: Jiri Prochazka. Surprisingly, this is Prochazka’s first All-Violence selection. Known for his excitement in the cage, he shone with performances against Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree, earning multiple bonuses and putting him on the shortlist for Fight of the Year.
Second Team: Bogdan Guskov. A breakout year for Guskov, who climbed the light heavyweight rankings with finishes over Billy Elekena and Nikita Krylov. A draw with Jan Blachowicz was enough to earn him Second Team honors.
Third Team: Iwo Baraniewski. A newcomer, Baraniewski made waves with a first-round TKO at Babilon MMA 51 and a 20-second KO on Contender Series. His promotional debut at UFC 323 was unforgettable.
Honorable Mentions: AbdulRakhman Yakhyaev, Azamat Murzakanov, Boris Mbarga Atangana, Jimmy Crute, Modestas Bukauskas.
First Team: Ateba Gautier. Gautier’s UFC debut was impressive with three first-round knockouts and two Performance bonuses. “The Silent Assassin” is one to watch for years to come.
Second Team: Reinier de Ridder. De Ridder looked like a First Team lock after beating Kevin Holland and Bo Nickal. But a loss to Brendan Allen relegated him to Second Team.
Third Team: Christian Leroy Duncan. Duncan’s spinning knockouts earned him two Performance of the Night bonuses, securing his Third Team spot.
Honorable Mentions: Anthony Hernandez, Baisangur Susurkaev, Brendan Allen, Gregory Rodrigues, Kyle Daukaus, Nassourdine Imavov.
First Team: Michael Morales. Morales’ two first-round knockouts, including one over former title challenger Gilbert Burns, set him up for a potential title shot in 2026.
Second Team: Carlos Prates. A repeat Team member, Prates delivered highlight-reel finishes, including a spinning back elbow KO of Geoff Neal.
Third Team: Gabriel Bonfim. Bonfim’s campaign was strong, with wins over Stephen Thompson and bonus-winning stoppages, though a split decision win hurt his ranking.
Honorable Mentions: Daniel Rodriguez, Ramiz Brahimaj, Thad Jean, Uros Medic, Yaroslav Amosov.
First Team: Benoit Saint Denis. The “God of War” returned to the top spot with three wins, all finishes, including a 16-second KO of Beneil Dariush.
Second Team: Quillan Salkilld. Salkilld made waves with a headkick knockout of Nasrat Haqparast, earning KO of the Year votes.
Third Team: Chris Duncan. Lightweight Duncan had a stellar year with a Fight of the Night battle and a submission victory at UFC 323.
Honorable Mentions: Akbar Abdullaev, Alexander Hernandez, Manuel Torres, Terrance McKinney, Usman Nurmagomedov.
First Team: Jean Silva. Silva’s performances, including a knockout of Melsik Baghdasaryan and a submission over Bryce Mitchell, earned him top honors despite a late loss.
Second Team: Melquizael Costa. Costa’s active campaign included four victories and a highlight reel head kick finish, though a lackluster decision held him back.
Third Team: Razhabali Shaydullaev. Shaydullaev’s undefeated run and championship defenses in RIZIN made him a standout.
Honorable Mentions: Diego Lopes, Ethyn Ewing, Jesus Pinedo, Kevin Vallejos, Lerone Murphy.
First Team: Merab Dvalishvili. Dvalishvili’s four fights, including a Fight of the Year contender, earned him top honors despite a late loss to Petr Yan.
Second Team: Petr Yan. Yan’s championship performance against Dvalishvili secured his place, even with a sparse fight schedule.
Third Team: Sergio Pettis. Pettis’ spinning backfist knockout of Magomed Magomedov was a highlight in a down year for bantamweight violence.
Honorable Mentions: Aiemann Zahabi, David Martinez, Payton Talbot, Raoni Barcelos, Vinicius Oliveira.
First Team: Joshua Van. Van’s four victories and record-breaking significant strikes landed earned him top honors as UFC flyweight champion.
Second Team: Kape. Kape’s knockouts and potential title shot made him a standout in the flyweight division.
Third Team: Tatsuro Taira. Taira’s late start to the year didn’t stop him from earning a place with a submission victory and a TKO over Brandon Moreno.
Honorable Mentions: Allan Nascimento, Alden Coria, Joseph Morales, Marcos Degli, Muhammad Mokaev.
First Team: Joselyne Edwards. Edwards’ two stoppage wins and Performance bonus made her the top pick in women’s bantamweight.
Second Team: Bia Mesquita. Mesquita’s UFC debut and submission victory secured her Second Team honors.
Third Team: Emily Martins. Martins’ strong run in CFFC with three rear-naked choke wins earned her a spot.
Honorable Mentions: Jacqueline Cavalcanti, Kayla Harrison, Luana Santos, Lucia Szabova, Yana Santos.
First Team: Liz Carmouche. At 41, Carmouche delivered three wins, including a PFL tournament victory, proving age is just a number.
Second Team: Carli Judice. Judice’s brutal finishes earned her two Performance bonuses and a promising future.
Third Team: Valentina Shevchenko. Shevchenko’s dominant wins over top contenders secured her place despite a less thrilling year.
Honorable Mentions: Jamey-Lyn Horth, Jasmine Jasudavicius, Jiesla Chavez, Sabrinna de Sousa, Wang Cong.
First Team: Seika Izawa. The RIZIN atomweight champion’s three wins and two finishes secured her spot as a top pound-for-pound fighter.
Second Team: Islam Makhachev. Makhachev’s dominance across multiple weight classes earned him recognition despite limited fights.
With Cris Cyborg only competing once, Joy Pendell takes the women’s featherweight spot with four wins and four submissions.
Congratulations to the 2025 All-Violence Team. Your achievements won’t be forgotten.