UFC Futures 2025: Best Bets For End-of-Year Champions (Chris's Picks)
It will be another week until the UFC returns for 2025, but it's never too early to look ahead. Recently, DraftKings released odds for who will be champion at the end of the year, so I thought it would be fun to throw my hat in the ring and offer four plus-money plays with a realistic path to the gold.
Weight Class: Middleweight
Anthony Hernandez (+1100)
Bettors looking for the opportunity to take a shot would do well to focus on the heavier weight classes, where skill set often takes a back seat to attributes. This is exemplified in current champion Dricus Du Plessis, whose sloppy and erratic technique keeps opponents around before his cardio and toughness give him the upper hand in the championship rounds.
I would argue that Hernandez's gas tank is the best in the division, as he has comfortably shot for as many as 29 takedowns in a three-round fight without appearing winded. The risk here is we have seen "Fluffy" sparked out early in fights when he has charged in looking to take the initiative.
Still, a price this big in a division this open screams to be taken, particularly when our candidate can challenge in the areas that make the current titleholder successful. Hernandez is riding a six-fight win streak (five finishes), so it shouldn't be long until he is thrown into elite company.
UFC FUTURES BET: Anthony Hernandez (+1100) to be Middleweight Champion on Dec 31, 2025
Weight Class: Lightweight
Charles Oliveira (+600)
While the division is stacked with exciting fighters, the lightweight title picture currently consists of no more than four or five names, all of whom appear to be one big win away from a title shot. "Do Bronx" has been anointed lightweight royalty due to an action-first style that has seen him finish almost 90 percent of his 35 wins, including both of his title defenses.
Unlike our first target, a seemingly unbeatable foe sits atop the division, as Islam Makhachev finished Oliveira to become champion in 2022. It's worth noting, however, that the Brazilian was very close to submitting the current No. 1 contender, Arman Tsarukyan, with a guillotine choke before dropping a close split decision. This should ensure that his name remains at the top of the pile as long as he can find a win early in the year.
We can also look to narrative, as title rematches are always intriguing, especially when the loser of the first fight is an otherwise dominant force. It would be hard to argue that Makhachev will be easily dethroned, but it seems likely that his path will cross with Oliveira's this year, and that alone is worth the listed price.
UFC FUTURES BET: Charles Oliveira (+600) to be Lightweight Champion on Dec 31, 2025
Weight Class: Light Heavyweight
Magomed Ankalaev (+195)
The exception to my rule about the heavier weight classes mentioned above is if a competitor has a skill unmatched by his contemporaries. There is an incredible dearth of wrestling among the light heavyweights, so much so that the current champion, Alex Pereira, was easily taken down and controlled by lifelong kickboxer Israel Adesanya during their first fight in the Octagon.
Ankalaev's slow, methodical style isn't always crowd-pleasing. We have already seen the upshot of this, as a more exciting, far less deserving fighter in Khalil Rountree received a title shot in October. While this is a slight concern, backers of the Dagestani can take comfort in the fact that a fighter who keeps winning can only be denied for so long. We have a relatively recent example of this, as welterweight Leon Edwards was finally granted his title shot in 2022. Ankalaev is in the midst of a 13-fight unbeaten streak, and only so many "exciting" fighters can cut the line before the best fight each other.
While this is the narrowest price on this list, I still see it as great value. I would line Ankalaev very close to even money in a fight with the current champion, who, for all his greatness, is still a developing mixed martial artist.
UFC FUTURES BET: Magomed Ankalaev (+195) to be light heavyweight Champion on Dec 31, 2025
Weight Class: Strawweight
Virna Jandiroba (+600)
The transformation of featherweight veteran Doo Ho Choi from brawler to well-rounded fighter is a testament to just how far a fighter can go if they make a concerted effort to improve. Jandiroba is one such fighter. She came into the organization as a BJJ specialist but has slowly developed a solid boxing attack with nice footwork. This has resulted in four consecutive wins after a lackluster start in the organization.
This prediction is based on the fact that Jandiroba matches up well against every top competitor in the division. This includes the title holder, as Zhang Weili has been able to bully most of her opponents on the ground. The jiu-jitsu mentioned above will neutralize the champion's greatest strength, allowing "Carcara" to score points on the feet.
While there is plenty of talent at strawweight, I don't see many fighters who can do everything well, leaving them open to exploitation in certain areas. It is also worth noting that heir apparent Tatiana Suarez's promise as a can't-miss prospect is in question due to a spate of injuries, which should afford Jaindroba a more manageable path if the undefeated fighter defeats Zhang in February.
UFC FUTURES BET: Virna Jandiroba (+600) to be strawweight champion on Dec 31, 2025
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