Philippine sports in 2025 delivered a year rich in drama, resilience, and historic breakthroughs. From championship glory on the global stage to unforgettable title runs at home, Filipino athletes once again proved their ability to rise when it mattered most. Across combat sports, basketball, gymnastics, tennis, esports, and beyond, these moments captured the nation’s imagination and reaffirmed the Philippines’ place on the international sporting map.
Here are 16 defining sporting highlights that made Philippine sports in 2025 one to truly remember:
Destiny Fulfilled: Denice Zamboanga Earns Interim Title
Denice “The Menace” Zamboanga made headlines in Philippine sports on January 11 after claiming the ONE Interim Women’s Atomweight MMA World Title at ONE Fight Night 27.
The 28-year-old fighter from Quezon City delivered a commanding performance, demonstrating elite striking and composure on the ground before finishing Ukrainian Alyona Rassohyna via technical knockout at the 4:47 mark of the second round to secure the biggest win of her career.
After five demanding years, marked by multiple setbacks and injuries, Zamboanga finally achieved her dream of becoming a champion and also made history as the first Filipina fighter to capture a major world title in MMA. – Bon Paulo Pabuhaya
Passion Personified: Joshua Pacio Wins Trilogy vs. Jarred Brooks
Joshua “The Passion” Pacio silenced his doubters with an epic come-from-behind victory to retain the ONE Strawweight MMA World Title at ONE 171 on February 20 in Doha, Qatar.
The Lions Nation MMA standout was clearly overwhelmed by his American opponent, Jarred Brooks, in their trilogy bout. Brooks smothered Pacio with high-level wrestling, forced him on the defensive, and nearly secured a choke multiple times in the opening round.
Pacio survived and completely turned the fight around in the second round, dropping the American to his back and raining heavy punches to the body and head until he earned the stoppage at the 4:22 mark. With the win, Pacio established himself as a three-time ONE Strawweight World Champion. – Bon Paulo Pabuhaya
TNT Outlasts Ginebra in Epic Game 7, Takes 2025 PBA Commissioner’s Cup
Hoops, of course, is part of the DNA of Philippine sports. And back in March 2025, two of the PBA’s greatest franchises treated Filipino basketball fans to a mind-bending Finals for a second-straight conference after the TNT Tropang 5G took home the Governor’s Cup in six games at the expense of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.
It was an unforgettable Finals as Rondae Hollis-Jefferson again went toe-to-toe with Justin Brownlee, who is widely viewed as one of the greatest foreign reinforcements to ever step foot in the second-oldest professional basketball league in the world.
In the winner-take-all Game 7 held on March 28, Brownlee made good on his reputation by knocking down his signature three-pointer to tie the game at 79 apiece and force an overtime duel. Though Ginebra faithful greatly appreciated his heroics, the Chot Reyes-mentored TNT squad, led by Rey Nambatac, Glenn Khobuntin, and Calvin Oftana, came through in the clutch to eventually win it all, 87–83.
“Sting-Rey” ultimately took home Finals MVP honors with averages of 17.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. – Karl Batungbacal
Alex Eala Announces Entry Into the Big Time in Miami Open 2025
The pride of Quezon City, Philippines, Alex Eala announced her name to the world of tennis (and in the greater landscape of Philippine sports) after authoring a Cinderella run on the hard courts of the WTA 1000 Miami Open in March 2025.
The 19-year-old alumna of the Rafa Nadal Academy entered the tournament as a wild card. Ranked No. 140 at the time, Eala first defeated Katie Volynets in the Round of 128 to start what would turn out to be a remarkable winning streak.
She then upset No. 25 Jelena Ostapenko, beat No. 5 Madison Keys in the Round of 32, and advanced to the quarterfinals via a walkover against Paula Badosa. In the quarterfinals, she faced five-time Grand Slam champion and No. 2 Iga Swiatek and pulled off a stunning upset.
Her fairytale run ended in the semifinals after a hard-fought three-set loss to No. 4 Jessica Pegula. Though she did not win the title, Eala’s resilience inspired Filipino sports fans worldwide and birthed another star in Philippine sports. – Brian Callada
Carlos Yulo Impresses in Asian Men’s Artistic Gymnastics Championships
An Olympic champion twice over, Carlos Yulo will always be expected to deliver career-defining performances. He did just that in the Asian Men’s Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jecheon, South Korea, held from June 5 to June 8, 2025.
Yulo notably won gold in the floor exercise for the fourth time with a score of 14.600. It was the fourth consecutive gold for Yulo in this event, proving he is in a class by himself at the Asian level.
The wonder boy from Manila also had three bronze medals in the competition—in the individual all-around, vault, and parallel bars. Yulo’s one-gold, three-bronze showcase in South Korea proved unequivocally that he remains one of the continent’s elite gymnasts and is still among the biggest stars in Philippine sports. – Martin Bolima
Strong Group Athletics Claim Back-to-Back William Jones Cup Crowns
The Philippines entered the 2025 William Jones Cup in July with the goal of repeating as champions of the yearly invitational, and Strong Group Athletics was again tapped to represent the archipelagic nation.
Aiming to build off last season’s undefeated run to the top of the standings, this year’s team was led by standout performances from foreign reinforcements Tajuan Agee, plus former NBA players Anthony Roberson and Andre Roberson, to support the local core headlined by Kiefer Ravena, Rhenz Abando, Jason Brickman, Ange Kouame, and Dave Ildefonso.
The team shook off near-upsets versus the Republic of China Blue and Japan to open the tourney and eventually ran the table for the next six games to go undefeated for a second-straight title. This marked the eighth overall title for the Philippines in the prestigious tournament. – Karl Batungbacal
Manny Pacquiao Holds Back Father Time vs. Mario Barrios
When you talk about Philippine sports, Manny Pacquiao will always come to mind. After it was announced in May that Pacquiao would lace his gloves back up and return to the ring a few months later, many doubted the only eight-division boxing world champion, as he was already 46 by the time he challenged Mario Barrios for his WBC welterweight crown.
On July 19 (July 20 in the Philippines), the PacMan proved he could keep Father Time at bay by sheer force of will, battering his much younger counterpart with hard shots throughout the 12-round title fight.
However, despite Barrios’ surprising lack of activity, his reliance on the jab—about 45 of them—allowed him to retain the gold via majority draw, a result that many boxing fans still feel strongly about to this day. – Karl Batungbacal
Nonito Donaire Wins WBA Interim Bantamweight Title
Filipino boxing star Nonito Donaire joined his combat sports colleagues in raising the nation’s flag this year for Philippine sports as he returned to the ring for the first time since his unanimous decision defeat to Alexandro Santiago in July 2023.
Stepping into the ring on June 14, 2025, Donaire locked horns with Andres Campos over the WBA interim bantamweight crown in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The 42-year-old, battle-tested veteran used every inch of his 68-inch reach advantage to establish control in the early rounds. Starting in round four, Donaire turned up the pressure and began landing harsh left hooks, along with solid body shots that visibly frustrated Campos.
While the 29-year-old regained his footing in round seven, an accidental head clash 48 seconds into round nine opened a gash over Donaire’s eye, which led the ringside doctor to halt the fight due to the Filipino’s impaired vision.
Because of his outstanding work leading up to that moment, judges awarded the win to Donaire, 87–84, 87–84, and 88–83, improving his career résumé to 43–8 (28 KOs). – Karl Batungbacal
Team Liquid With Solid Run at 2025 MLBB Mid Season Cup
Team Liquid Philippines completed a dominant run by toppling previous champions Selangor Red Giants OG to capture the 2025 MLBB Mid Season Cup on August 2 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Despite dropping the opening game, TLPH stormed back with four consecutive wins to bring the title back to the Philippines. The Cavalry was nothing short of impressive throughout the tournament, securing a perfect 5–0 record and dropping only three games overall.
The victory ended two consecutive runner-up finishes for the Philippines and made Team Liquid PH the first team in MLBB history to win every major championship. The tournament also highlighted the continued rise of Philippine talent in the esports scene, with ONIC Philippines securing a bronze finish while all four semifinalist teams featured a Filipino player. – Bon Paulo Pabuhaya
Gilas Falters in Jeddah, Finishes Seventh in FIBA Asia Cup
Expectations were not too high for Gilas Pilipinas heading into the FIBA Asia Cup in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, after suffering eye-opening losses in the months leading to the competition. But there was still hope that the national team would fight for a podium finish.
Those expectations quickly faded with an opening-day loss to Chinese Taipei, followed by another defeat to New Zealand. Close wins against continental lightweights Iraq and Saudi Arabia gave Gilas hope, only for it to face Asia-Pacific yardstick Australia in the knockout phase.
Matched up against one of the world’s elite, Gilas could not get anything going as the Aussies jumped all over Tim Cone’s squad from the opening buzzer. The Philippines finished seventh in the tournament and was shut out of a medal. – Martin Bolima
EJ Obiena Helps Bring World-Class Pole Vault to the PH, Authors Golden Moment
Pole vault sensation EJ Obiena, with the help of a bevy of sponsors, brought world-class pole vault to the Philippines in September via the Atletang Ayala Pole Vault Championship held in Makati.
The competition aimed to showcase the country’s talent and hospitality, and Obiena and the Filipinos delivered. Obiena, who was in the midst of a dry spell at the time, produced his finest performance of 2025 to win gold.
Obiena bested world No. 12 Thibaut Collet of France in a thrilling head-to-head that saw both men attempting 5.80 meters. The 28-year-old two-time Olympian cleared the height on his second attempt, while the Frenchman failed to do so in his first two tries.
Collet later gushed about the experience of competing in the Philippines, as did several of Obiena’s peers. Needless to say, it was mission accomplished for the humble Filipino and a win for Philippine sports in general. – Martin Bolima
Stephen Loman Makes Shock Return to Old Stomping Grounds
2025 was a monumental year for Filipino combat sports athletes, and Stephen Loman capped it off with an explosive announcement on December 3: his return to BRAVE CF.
The news sent shockwaves through the Philippine MMA community, as “The Sniper” had joined ONE Championship in February 2021 and appeared on track for a bantamweight title shot after three straight wins. However, a loss to former titleholder John Lineker in September 2023 derailed his momentum.
After two years of inactivity, the 26-year-old’s contract with ONE Championship expired, opening the door to his return to the Bahrain-based promotion. The inaugural and longest-reigning BRAVE CF bantamweight champion will look to reclaim the crown as he resumes his journey in 2026. – Karl Batungbacal
La Salle Survives UP, Wins the UAAP Season 88 Men’s Basketball Tournament
After a scintillating and wildly unpredictable elimination round, the UP Fighting Maroons and La Salle Green Archers again emerged as the last two teams standing in the UAAP Season 88 Men’s Basketball Tournament, just as they had in the previous two seasons.
As in Seasons 86 and 87, UP and La Salle delivered a classic Finals that went the distance. The Green Archers struck first, edging the Fighting Maroons, 74–70, in a thrilling Game 1. UP responded in Game 2 with a gritty 66–63 victory to force a Game 3 decider.
Game 3 was a dogfight, but Mike Phillips’ massive 25-point, 18-rebound double-double proved decisive as La Salle overcame UP’s spirited challenge to reclaim the crown. – Martin Bolima
San Beda University Wins the NCAA Season 101 Championship
The NCAA men’s basketball tournament opened Season 101 on October 1 with a new format that split the 10 universities into two groups and added a Play-In Tournament.
The San Beda Red Lions, led by rookie Agjanti Miller, earned a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals after securing the second seed in Group B. They dispatched Lyceum of the Philippines University, survived a do-or-die semifinal against the CSB Blazers, and swept archrivals Letran Knights in the Finals.
Graduating guard Bryan Sajonia was named Finals MVP, while head coach Yuri Escueta earned his second title in four years. – Brian Callada
Alex Eala Wins Gold Medal in the 33rd SEA Games
Now ranked No. 53, Alex Eala entered the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand, aiming to end the Philippines’ 26-year gold medal drought in women’s singles tennis.
As the tournament’s highest-ranked player, the 20-year-old earned a first-round bye and an automatic quarterfinal berth. Her run proved golden and dominant.
Eala defeated Malaysia’s Shihomi Li Xuan Leong in straight sets, dispatched Thailand’s Thasaporn Naklo, 6–1, 6–4, in the semifinals, and capped her campaign with a convincing 6–1, 6–2 victory over Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew in the finals.
She completed the tournament without dropping a set, firmly establishing herself as Southeast Asia’s premier women’s tennis player. – Brian Callada
Kayla Sanchez Delivers the Goods in Thailand, Becomes Toast of Philippine Sports
Highly touted Filipino-Canadian swimmer Kayla Sanchez delivered on expectations at the 33rd Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in Thailand. Making her debut for the Philippines, Sanchez spearheaded the national swimming team with remarkable consistency, competing in nine women’s swimming events over six consecutive days and bringing home an impressive haul of three golds and five silvers.
Sanchez won gold in the women’s 100m freestyle, women’s backstroke, and women’s 4x100m freestyle relay (alongside teammates Heather White, Chloe Isleta, and Xiandi Chua). She then bagged silver in women’s 50m freestyle (while setting a national record), 200m freestyle, women’s 50m, and 4x100m medley relay (with Miranda Renner, White, and Chua), and 4x200m freestyle relay (with White, Isleta, and Chua).
With her nine-medal haul, Sanchez emerged as the Philippines top medal-getter in the SEA Games while also stamping her class as Philippine sports’ next great sporting hero. – Bon Paulo Pabuhaya
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From world titles and golden runs to hard-fought setbacks that still stirred national pride, Philippine sports in 2025 showcased the depth, diversity, and heart of Filipino athletes. Each moment reflected not just victory or defeat, but perseverance, belief, and an unyielding desire to compete on the biggest stages. As the nation looks ahead, these milestones will stand as benchmarks—and inspiration—for the next generation of Filipino sporting heroes.
