"The collection of PPV events this year was full of intrigue, as champions changed weight classes to capture their second belts ( Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria), legendary careers reached their conclusion ( Henry Cejudo and José Aldo), jaw-dropping knockouts ( Carlos Prates, Lerone Murphy and Mauricio Ruffy) and an epic battle ( Joshua Van vs. Brandon Royval). But for all that good, there was plenty of bad."
"UFC 317: Topuria vs. Oliveira Original fight card grade: ATop-graded fight: Brandon Royval vs. Joshua Van (A+) Hindsight grade: A There's no denying that UFC 317 was the best fight card of the year. Van-Royval remains the frontrunner for ESPN's fight of the year award, while finishes from Ilia Topuria, Gregory Rodrigues, Jose Miguel Delgado and Terrance McKinney were all spectacular in their"
The 2025 UFC pay-per-view slate featured major highs and lows. Champions switched weight classes to secure second belts, with Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria among those succeeding. Hall-of-fame careers ended, including Henry Cejudo and José Aldo. Several fights delivered spectacular knockouts and standout performances, and an epic matchup between Joshua Van and Brandon Royval emerged as a top contender for fight of the year. Significant setbacks occurred as well, including a heavyweight title no-contest due to an eye poke and a championship match cut short by a fluke injury, alongside numerous underwhelming bouts. Original PPV grades were re-evaluated in hindsight against the full 2025 slate.
Read at ESPN.com
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