Most Followed UFC Fighters on Social Media in 2025

A champ is as a champ has, and what a UFC titleholder has most as part of the premier combat sports promotion is fans. Standing here and now in 2025, the most followed UFC fighters on social media command quite the presence and fanbase. It falls on them to be a champ to the people, outside the scope of just fighting.

UFC CEO Dana White has iterated multiple times how fanbase viewership is proportional to their casting presence and PPV sales — thus earning both money and influence. Ex-UFC flyweight Demetrious Johnson also said that post-WEC Zuffa LLC held Fighter Summits till 2011, where White and Execs would advocate concerted efforts to increase social media traffic.

Those fighters that did start making a splash on social media would get $25k UFC quarterly fighter incentives and so on. Now, fan forums and public platforms serve more than just influence and sum or media engagement; now it’s pure media farming and the means of spreading fight news/rumors. It’s how people follow their favorite fighters. It’s how oddsmakers keep track of fighters’ lives, camps, and athletes’ listings to prop betting sums.

In light of that, here are the most followed names on social media in 2025.

Other notables and current champs:

ALSO READ: Top 5 Dominant UFC Performances [2025 Updated Rankings]

#1 Conor McGregor

Is this even a surprise? Conor McGregor hasn’t been back to the fight game in any form since his 2021 TKO leg break. 4+ years onwards, he still is the epitome of trash talk, zingy one-liners, absolute riches, and a hedonistic, larger-than-life behavior. There is a reason why he is most followed on social media despite a bad boy behavior. He even made the Forbes list for his $158/180 million from perpetuity brand sales, just outside of fighting!

What is most surprising is how unrepeatable it feels for a man with the moniker ‘The Notorious’. McGregor indeed stays notorious on social media. Box Floyd Mayweather instead of making another 13-second counter-left KO or actually defending his hardware; Check. Get caught in violent bar crawls or assault cases at the 2023 NBA finals in Miami; check.

Run up a tab of €248,000 in damages and legal waivers from the Dublin Civil Court; check. Yet try to run for Irish President and make a return during the “America 250” White House PPV card; check. Conor McGregor is a blockbuster UFC name, and even the wrong reasons don’t change that.

#2 Khabib Nurmagomedov

McGregor’s bad boy MMA/UFC persona made him the most followed UFC fighter. And it helped breed the perfect counter: ex-UFC legenary lightweight Khabib Nurmagomedov. A polar opposite, the Dagestani is a devout Muslim and known for his stout rigor and discipline.

Even with Khabib hanging it up, his Dagestani MMA dynasty has been more than dominant and produced staples and champs in UFC, PFL, Bellator, ONE FC, Eagle FC, Akhmat FC, Chechen World Fighting Championships, and so on. While more stoic than his peers, Khabib is an empire on his own and warrants his gigantic UFC fan following/endorsements.

He was a brand sports ambassador for Reebok in his peak days. Mike Constantine’s AMA Fight Club and Training Mask (@TrainingMask) acted as paying brand sponsors later on. He had a tie-in with Toyota for their Russian markets. Khabib also forked out sums for Al Firdaus Residence, other UAE property investments, and the famous ‘M-Eat by Khabib‘ beef subs.

Khabib even rivalled McGregor’s fandom of watches with his Epic X Chrono Black Khabib release: a 1/1 47mm black DLC grade 5 titanium set with a crystal dial in it. He partnered with the Irishman’s go-to brand, Jacob & Co., later on. Make no mistake; he was silent but had pure business acumen and was often quite a hit among the internet freaks.

# 3 Ronda Rousey

There is very little doubt that the WMMA pioneer and the first female combatant at UFC 157 would be famous. A King of Cage and Strikeforce MMA alum, Ronda Rousey made it big in UFC, and then at WWE. Rousey was a true “Rowdy” and rebel, and stuck to it.

Rousey was already poached for sports media sponsorships early on; even bossman Dana White got caught red-cheeked and red-handed, donning her Swimsuit Illustrated snaps on his tees! She was larger than life and often embraced her heel role and did it all. She’d later transition to Hollywood with movies like Furious 7, The Expendables 3, Mile 22, and so on.

Along with being the cover athlete and later brand add-on for EA SPORTS™ UFC 5, Rousey also starred in the Mortal Kombat 1: Definitive Edition and WWE games/Battlegrounds. With so many outings at an end, is it even any wonder she’d make the most influential and followed UFC fighter list?

#4 Ilia Topuria

With his slick promos, his slick memorial roses for rivals he’d knock out, his brand sponsorships, his ravishing style, ‘El Matador’ is a status of his won. UFC’s new two-weight champ and 155-pound king Ilia Topuria is a total stardom.

Topuria overhauled and overwhelmed national tele and radio shows like Super Bowl LVIII Radio Row, Jack Slack Podcast 164 after his UFC 298 PPV title win; that didn’t stop there. A real Real Madrid tick, he walked out to the Real Madrid vs. Sevilla game at Santiago Bernabéu and took the honorary celeb kickoff!

Topuria got standing fan ovations at Bernabéu, from the Mayor’s Office, and the El Hormiguero interview. Much like Notorious, he’s the 2nd 30 Under 30 – Forbes España A-lister. He was part of a promo package for Daredevil: Born Again for Marvel Television. Recently, Topuria and his son Hugo made a TV spot cameo for promoting the Karate Kid: Legends movie as well. It went quite viral.

The Spanish fighter also went viral with a 1/1 $101,000 ‘Topps’ set like none other; in 2021, McGregor had that glory with a $73,800 Chrome Topps card. Khabib’s poseable rookie card sold for $80,000, but Topuria is now a bigger star factor than both.

#5 Islam Makhachev

Islam Makhachev is different than his mentor Khabib. Unintentionally funny, he sports his Timex watches, does wheelies and mountain riding on his Husqvarna FE 350 Pro 2024 or Enduro dirtbike off-roaders, and often does skits.

Matter of fact, Makhachev’s skits or gags with his sparring mates and Daniel Cormier are widely famous among keen IG followers and Subredditors. His attempt to impersonate peers in a hilarious TikTok segment went quite viral. Alvin Kuai once did a live comedic skit on the impracticality of fighting a Russian, devout MMA practitioner like Makhachev, while he was champ and the promotion’s #1 Pound-for-pound.

There’s a pattern here, and that’s Islam Makhachev is widely popular as a global sensation. Not just an MMA torch like Khabib, but actually New-Gen friendly. It warrants why he’s one of the biggest UFC Fighters on social media in 2025 with 11.1M+ total followers.

#6 Khamzat Chimaev

Khamzat Chimaev’s 10574340+ [10.57 M] follower counter on social tabs is no surprise. ‘Borz’ made his coveted entry in UFC at Fight Island, when major sports were still shut down or reeling from the COVID-phase ban. Fight culture and fans took to Chimaev’s beastly action and results early on, and got hooked!

To that end, the Chechen sensation delivered, making quick turnarounds for zesty bouts and pure domination. There was nothing mild and sombre about Chimaev’s tone; he was explosive with his wrestling and gave a new tinge to the age-old top mount domination, the likes of which Khabib has sensationalized. He wanted to “smesh and kill” everybody, and fight fans took to it like spice.

Follow up a few years, the Emirati is a big stateside sensation as well, and is now the undisputed UFC middleweight king, as of writing this.

#7 Jon Jones

Even after retiring, Jon Jones is the consensus GOAT fighter choice for many. After McGregor, if anyone would be one of the most followed UFC fighters on social media, it’d be him. He has held UFC gold with ginormous longevity across multiple eras. Post-2011 changes — when those like Conor McGregor and Rousey boomed in global popularity — ‘Bones’ still maintained his status.

Much like rival Daniel Cormier and Aljamain Sterling, Jon Jones also shares active commentary with fans on X and even makes little comments on IG. He also reacts to fight cards, posting live after standout performances, which makes Jones widely popular.

He had a limited appearance as himself in the French Netflix series ‘La Cage’. Jones is also playing a part in an upcoming movie, ‘Edo’s Crossing,’ as a NAVY operator and has already shot scenes for it. Jones, too, has raked up interest for the White House PPV concept card.

#8 Charles Olvieira

A 8618050+ [8.5 – 8.62 M on and off] counter and rising, the champ has a name, and it’s Charles ‘Do Bronx’ Oliveira. Oliveira is Brazil’s pride, but he is a prolific finisher and has a global fanbase. He does not need movies or tele spots; Oliveira is a legend in and out of the game. Something that makes him one of the most followed UFC fighters on social media in 2025

If most in-ring octagon pounding, PPV sales, and brand value as a champ were a determinant, Oliveira shines there as well. The Team Chute Boxe BJJ artist is a Taylor Swift or WNBA’s Caitlin Clark equivalent in MMA, but with more lively following. With a language barrier, his fans often take the charge and diss Oliveira’s rival during UFC Media Day pressers. Oliveira also has a brand tie-in with Full Violence ™ MMA outlet and often goes viral with fans.

#9 Alex Pereira

A former two-division UFC champ, GLORY Hall of Famer, and kickboxing brand Ambassador. A media ambassador for Stake.com (@Stake). A widely popular person and catchphrase that defies perceptions. CHAMA!

Despite his stoic demeanor and stone-faced attitude, Alex Pereira and his “Chama” (FIRE) warcry are like a fan-favorite phrasing. ‘Poatan’ often goes viral on IG reels, doing his iconic Chama cry, or step-by-step Pataxó, Bahia dance; even his boxing LHW/HW superstars go viral. Pereira has been so sensational in his rise to fame with shock knockouts that even his love for nicotine packs and ‘Zyn’ chewables is famous on the internet!

#10 Georges St-Pierre

Georges St-Pierre wasn’t just a GOAT fighter for many, for his 9-time defending stats. St-Pierre is a global sensation and an easy-going fighter who engages in fan interactions. From visiting public gym seminars and sessions with fans, to one at Bangtao Muay Thai at 72/46 Moo 3, Cherngtalay, Thailand. GSP does it all and is famous for it.

St-Pierre often gets viral for his gymnastics and collab with veteran fighters (he does collabs with @Bet99Sportsbooks) on social media. He, too, was in a Marvel movie, ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier,’ and got widely famous for his cameo role. Georges St-Pierre also travels a lot and logs his travel itinerary in viral snaps.