Tomorrow, the UFC officially kicks off their 2025 and it’s expected to be another big year for the promotion. Over the last week, I’ve written about major fights that I wanted to see and I’ve also predicted who I think will be wearing gold when the calendar turns over to 2026.
There’s one other thing that I want to touch on for 2025. That topic is looking at the fighters who will really rise up this year and truly make themselves known as legitimate contenders. In the last year, we saw fighters like Diego Lopes go from exciting prospects to legit title contenders. With that, let’s take a look at four UFC fighters that I think could be breakout candidates to get themselves into title contention.
UFC Breakout Contenders
Bo Nickal
The first contender on my list is three-time NCAA national champion wrestler Bo Nickal (7-0). Yes, Nickal’s name is already well known and he’s a bit polarizing. That said, I can’t look past his potential to become a real contender within the next year.
Nickal is 4-0 inside the octagon since earning a contract on The Contender Series. His most impressive win came in his last fight when he defeated Paul Craig at UFC 309. It wasn’t his best performance, but he did beat a guy who has defeated former world champions and that does say something.
Nickal’s next fight isn’t on the books yet, but I’m expecting him to take another step up in competition. With his natural wrestling ability and his ever-evolving striking, I think Nickal could really find himself in the middleweight top ten by the end of the year.
Michael Morales
The next contender I have my eyes on is 12th ranked welterweight contender Michael Morales (17-0). Morales has a golden opportunity to jump into the top ten in a few months with him scheduled to face Gilbert Burns at UFC 314 in April.
Morales is the real deal and he continues to improve. What’s even more impressive is how good and polished he is for being just 25-years-old. He has so much potential and I think he’ll be the favorite to beat Durinho in April and should he get the win there, he’s only a couple of impressive wins away from a title shot.
Carlos Prates
Sticking with the welterweight division, the next guy I have my eyes on is the guy ranked one spot behind Morales in the rankings, Carlos Prates (21-6). After earning a contract on The Contender Series last August, Prates was on the shortlist of non-champions who could make the argument for fighter of the year in 2024.
Prates went an impressive 4-0 scoring finishes in all four fights and earning performance bonuses in all four fights. He looks like a destroyer and he just adds another dangerous contender to a stacked welterweight division. The UFC doesn’t have him booked for his next fight yet, but I’m excited to see what Prates can do in 2025.
Youssef Zalal
The last contender on my list is featherweight contender Youssef Zalal (16-5-1). Zalal is in his second run with the UFC after the first stint didn’t go as planned. After going 0-3-1 in his final four fights the first time around, he was cut from the promotion. However, three straight first round finishes on the regional scene earned him another shot.
He’s taken full advantage of this second opportunity. He’s 3-0 with three finishes and in his last fight in November, he submitted Jack Shore in the second round. He’s booked to take on top ten contender Calvin Kattar next month. Should he win that fight, the exciting featherweight would leap into the top ten and he would be another guy who could seriously find himself in title contention by the end of the year.