2025 Australian MMA Female Next Level Fighter of the Year - Sara Collins

This award is for the women who are already operating at the peak of the sport, UFC and PFL level, Australian or New Zealand fighters who have represented our region on the biggest stages and proved they belong there.

There were other strong cases. Jamie Edenden keeps building and looks like she could be in serious international title conversations in 2026 or 2027. Kim Tran’s 3–0 year and knockout momentum has her hovering around a potential DWCS moment in 2026. And with Casey O’Neill healing up, we all know another big run is coming.

But for 2025, the winner is Sara Collins.

Sara Collins might be the only fighter who could lose her only bout of the year and still deserve this award. Because “Next Level” isn’t just about padding a record. It’s about stepping into the deepest water possible and showing you can swim.

Collins got a title fight with the arguable boogeywoman of women’s MMA, Cris Cyborg, on a PFL stage. That’s a name that makes people turn opportunities down. Collins didn’t just accept it, she had real moments. She cracked Cyborg, she even tossed her with that classic judo style, and for stretches she made the fight feel real, not ceremonial.

It didn’t go her way in the end. She lost position, got caught, and went out via rear naked choke. But the value is in what she proved by being there, by competing, and by having genuine success against one of the most accomplished fighters the sport has ever seen.

Our women’s exports are still a slim group, but it’s building, and moments like this matter. Sara Collins represented Australia at the highest level in 2025, and she did it with courage and credibility.

That’s why she’s the 2025 Australian MMA Female (Next Level) Fighter of the Year.

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