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For all of the bouts that made up the UFC calendar across 2025, only one can end earning the distinction as the fight of the year. 

While the criteria can vary, with everything from all-out undercard brawls to dramatic championship fights competed at a high skill level being considered, the best fights of the year typically present a mix of excitement, violence, high output and courageous recoveries. 

This year was no different as fights involving everyone from UFC newcomers to future Hall of Famers competed for the top spot but only one fight received the highest nod from our panel of CBS Sports MMA experts. 

Let's take a look at the winner, and those who just missed out, to see which fights stood out as truly memorable from the year that was. 

More 2025 UFC awards: Fighter of the Year | Knockout of the Year

Winner: Joshua Van def. Brandon Royval, UFC 317

The best fight of 2025 came together on short notice as Van, the 23-year-old flyweight contender, replaced an injured Manel Kape just three weeks' notice to face former title challenger Brandon Royval. Their No. 1 contender's bout was contested on the pay-per-view main card of UFC 317 in Las Vegas during International Fight Week. The fight turned out to be a coming-out party for Van, a native of Myanmar, who was catapulted from his close decision win over Royval into a title shot against Alexandre Pantoja in December, which Van won after the defending champion suffered an injury. But nothing about the path that Van took to the title, nor the incredible three rounds he shared with Royval, was easy. 

The southpaw Royval set an incredible pace off the start of Round 1 that never slowed down. The two strikers, neither of whom attempted a single takedown in the fight, created a recurring pattern of Royval forgoing defense in order to spam his younger foe with combinations in hopes of breaking him while Van picked his spots with even heavier counter shots. The problem for Royval, who was dropped late in Round 1 on a right cross to break open a close round, is that Van never wilted under the onslaught as his chin and stamina held strong in the face of relentless pressure.   

Royval picked up the pace even higher throughout a Round 2 that two of the three judges scored in his favor, helped by a left cross that rocked Van midway through. The two closed the round by brawling at close range as UFC analyst Joe Rogan exclaimed, "This fight is wild, this fight is wild!" The final round was even crazier and was on pace to be the most competitive of the three Royval mixed in lead elbows despite eating hellacious counter shots from Van. But shortly after Rogan declared that "this is a world championship caliber performance from both guys," Van landed the decisive blow on the scorecards with the fight hanging in the balance by dropping Royval with a hard counter right hand in the final 10 seconds as the crowd inside T-Mobile Arena reached a collective fever pitch. This fight showcased skill, tenacity and an incredible will to win as both fighters combined to land an insane 419 significant strikes, with Van taking home judges' scores of 29-28, 29-28 and 30-27.

Honorable mentions

Jiri Prochazka def. Khalil Rountree Jr., UFC 320

This light heavyweight clash on the PPV main card of the Oct. 4 UFC 320 event in Las Vegas had plenty of title implications attached to it as both the former champion Prochazka and the former title challenger Rountree looked to take a giant step back into the championship picture. And anyone who assumed this showdown would feature violent strikes and huge momentum swings were awarded with exactly that. Rountree surprised many by relying on counter shots and a strong body attack to frustrate and pick apart a suddenly gun shy Prochazka over the first two rounds. All that did, however, was turn Prochazka into berserker mode for Round 3, producing a spectacular rally that just might have been the most exciting single round of 2025. Prochazka threw caution to the wind and pressured Rountree relentlessly until fatigue set in. It led to a series of vicious standing exchanges in which Rountree stood his ground and traded heavy elbows at close range. Eventually, however, with the crowd roaring in support, Prochazka bloodied Rountree and backed him up to the cage with body shots until a three-punch combination upstairs knocked Rountree down and out for good. This was savage theater. 

Iwo Baraniewski def. Ibo Aslan, UFC 323

How in the heck does an early preliminary card bout between unheralded light heavyweights at UFC 323 in Las Vegas, which lasted all of just 89 seconds, earn consideration among the best fights of the year? When it's contested at breakneck pace with zero defense, nothing but heart and it looks like a deleted scene in a "Rocky" movie, that's how. Despite neither fighter being a household name, UFC fans will never forget what this Iwo vs. Ibo matchup produced as Aslan floored Baraniewski twice in the opening 45 seconds before all-out warfare broke loose. UFC announcers Jon Anik, Daniel Cormier and Rogan collectively lost their minds, along with the T-Mobile Arena crowd in unison, as the commentary of the action was reduced to screaming. Baraniewski, with his back to the cage, turned the tables and dropped an over aggressive Aslan before the Turkish slugger got right back up and pinned Baraniewski against the cage with a thunderous series of his own strikes. "This looks like a bar fight between two tough guys who know how to fight," Rogan exclaimed, just as it looked as if Aslan might be on his way to a stoppage win. But a single counter right hand from Baraniewski, delivered while his back was pinned to the cage once again, floored Aslan before a flurry of punches on the ground brought an end to this instant classic which looked more like a video game. 

Others receiving votes: Diego Lopes def. Jean Silva (Noche UFC), Nazim Sadykhov def. Nikolas Motta (UFC Fight Night: Baku)