Who was the MMA Fighter of the Year 2024 for you? In the past, choosing a winner was challenging, as there were many deserving contenders. But recently, only a few fighters have truly stood out. Two names that consistently come up are Alex Pereira and Ilia Topuria. Both fighters entered Dana White’s multi-billion-dollar promotion in the post-COVID era and quickly established themselves as champions in their respective divisions.

Alex Pereira, known for taking on short-notice fights, filled Dana White’s “hole” in the plan, saving Dana White’s events from being “lackluster” like UFC 303 and making them more exciting. In contrast, Ilia Topuria, though not one to accept short-notice bouts, consistently delivers his best performance every time he steps into the octagon. Both fighters have earned the admiration of MMA fans, but the debate over who is the superior fighter continues. Since they compete in different weight classes, a rivalry has grown between their fanbases, each claiming their champion holds more star power.

As 2024 fades into the past, WMMA judges recently crowned Alex Pereira ‘MMA Fighter of the Year 2024.’ While some fans may take issue with the decision, it’s worth noting that the entire 2025 season lies ahead. Recently, respected boxing coach Teddy Atlas, along with his co-host, shared their predictions for the 2025 MMA Fighter of the Year on his official YouTube channel, naming both ‘El Matador’ and ‘Poatan’ as leading contenders.

Teddy Atlas praised both champions, stating, “Both had incredible years. In the end, it’s one of those two, and you can’t go wrong.” When it came to his choice, however, Atlas leaned toward Ilia Topuria, particularly due to ‘El Matador’s’ dominant win over former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298. He emphasized ‘The Great’s’ toughness and ability to remain unfazed in the face of challenges. “I’ll go with Topuria because I believed he was special even before his fight with Volkanovski, where the world saw that he’s the complete package. To me, he looks like a pro boxer. The caliber of opponents he not only defeated but dominated was impressive,” Atlas explained.

Atlas also highlighted Ilia Topuria’s knockout of Max Holloway, another featherweight legend who had never before been knocked out in over a decade of UFC competition. Topuria achieved this stunning victory at UFC 308 in October 2024. Since then, he has become a fan favorite, especially after sending Holloway crashing to the canvas with his powerful cross. While the MMA world has largely embraced ‘El Matador’ as the new face of the promotion, despite winning Fighter of the Year, he still finds himself overshadowed by Alex Pereira. Let’s find out how.

Sean O’Malley dubbed Ilia Topuria the “little” Alex Pereira

In October, Ilia Topuria made waves in the MMA world with back-to-back knockout victories, one of which was a jaw-dropping win over Max Holloway. Before that, Alexander Volkanovski had also fallen victim to Topuria’s knockout power. But it was the Holloway knockout that truly shocked everyone. No one in UFC history had been able to knock out Holloway until ‘El Matador’ stepped in. With just 1:34 left in the third round, Topuria sent Holloway into the shadow realm.

Former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley, watching the fight live from home, saw Ilia Topuria’s deadly right-hand connect perfectly with Holloway’s jaw. ‘El Matador’ then sealed the victory with a left hook, dropping Holloway to the canvas. O’Malley, visibly impressed by the knockout, exclaimed, “Oh, left hook! Ilia finishes Max Holloway with a left hook in Round 3. Holy sh-t, Ilia is that guy. Wow. Who, at 145, wants to fight Ilia right now? Ilia’s just so dangerous the whole fight. He’s like a little f-cking Alex Pereira. You can’t tell me Islam (Makhachev) vs. f-cking Ilia isn’t a fight you would want to see.”

What do you think of Teddy Atlas’s prediction for 2025? Can Alex Pereira surpass Ilia Topuria in the Fighter of the Year race next time? Considering ‘Poatan’ is possibly just a year or two away from retirement, while ‘El Matador’ is still in his prime, under 30, how do you see it playing out? Share your predictions below.