WHAT a year for Philippine sports, right?
From winning in international events, to hosting world-class ones, there was no shortage of sports action for the Philippines in 2025 - be it in the ever popular team sports like basketball, volleyball and football - to individual sports like tennis, boxing, and golf.
From an explosive January which started with the country snagging MMA gold, to a pulsating end to the year with the Southeast Asian Games, 2025 was truly action packed for Team Philippines.
Here we look back at what went down, month for month starting with...
January
Philippine sports opened on a high note, with Denice Zamboanga etching herself in the country’s mixed martial arts history book by becoming the first-ever Filipina MMA World Champion by beating Alyona Rassohyna for the ONE Women’s Atomweight strap.
It was the completion of a lifelong dream for the Filipina from Quezon City who’s had to endure one disappointment after another, from fight delays due to the pandemic, to injuries and controversial losses.
READ: NorthPort gov Arejola at the center of ugly NBTC qualifier brawl
While the year opened on a positive note, things took a turn quickly for the country’s sports figures as then NorthPort team governor Erick Arejola was embroiled in an ugly brawl involving high school kids and their parents in an NBTC national championship qualifier.
February
For a country situated in the tropics, perhaps winning a gold medal in the Asian Winter Games may seem improbable.
But Alan Frei, Christian Haller, Enrico Pfister, Mark Pfister, and Curling Pilipinas playing president Benjo Delarmente said impossible’s all in the mind after the national men’s curling team edged out South Korea in the finals of the curling event to take home an improbable gold medal for the country.
March
Alex Eala put herself on the radar of tennis fans all over the world with a scintillating run in the Miami Open, a WTA 1000 event, taking wins over top-ranked netters in Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, and Iga Swiatek.
While her dream run ended in the semifinals at the hands of Jessica Pegula – it was still an impressive run for the then 19-year-old who proved that she belongs in the world stage while giving the Filipino fans another global sports figure to cheer on.
As Eala was making a name for herself in the United States, TNT and Barangay Ginebra were thrilling fans in the country with a heartstopping championship series which ended in a pulsating Game 7, overtime win for the Tropang 5G.
It was a game considered by many as one of the best championship matches in PBA history, with TNT finding an unlikely hero in Glenn Khobuntin to stave off another memorable game for Ginebra’s Justine Brownlee.
Speaking of Justin Brownlee, March wasn't a good month for the beloved import as he once again tested positive for cannabis, the second time he got busted for the substance after Gilas' Asian games gold medal run.
April
This month is all about the PBA as Asia’s oldest pay-for-play league geared up for its golden year.
The PBA celebrated its 50th anniversary by adding 10 more names to the league’s 50 Greatest Player list, with Nelson Asaytono, Arnie Tuadles, Abe King, Jeff Casiaso, Bong Hawkins, June Mar Fajardo, Danny Seigle, Scottie Thompson, Manny Victorino, and Yoyoy Villamin getting immortalized.
It then celebrated its 50th year by heading back to the Rizal Memorial Coliseum on April 9, pitting San Miguel and Meralco in a match where teams played in retro jerseys to commemorate the birth of the league five decades ago.
May
The country hosted the SEABA U16 qualifiers in Pampanga which served as LA Tenorio’s debut as a head coach, being the lead shot caller of the Gilas Pilipinas U16 squad.
Gilas Youth didn’t disappoint, completing a six-game sweep of the tournament while dominating Indonesia in the finals to claim gold.
Over in Manila, the National University Lady Bulldogs became back-to-back UAAP Women’s Volleyball champions by sweeping La Salle in the finals, the first time the school claimed consecutive titles.
Team Liquid also won its first major title of the year, winning the MPL Philippines Season 15 title in a thrilling seven-game affair over the reigning World Champions ONIC Philippines.
The month then closed in style for the Philippines, with EJ Obiena completing a three-peat in the Asian Athletics pole vault tournament, clearing 5.77m to beat Huang Bokai of China in a jump-off.
June
Caloy Yulo picked up from where EJ Obiena left off from last month, as he then stamped his class in the continent in his sport of gymnastics.
The 2024 Paris Olympics gold medalist ruled the Artistic Gymnastics Asian Championships floor exercise for the fourth straight year to prove that he’s still the top dog in Asia.
READ: Yulo wins fourth straight floor exercise title in Asian Championships
He also added three bronze medals to his name, finishing third in individual all-around, vault and parallel bars.
July
Eight-division boxing champion Manny Pacquiao marked his boxing return when he took on Mario Barrios for the WBC Welterweight world title in Las Vegas.
While it didn’t end in a victory for Pacquiao as he settled for a majority draw, the fighting pride of General Santos City proved that he can compete at a high level, going toe-to-toe with Barrios – a fighter 16 years his junior – for 12 rounds.
Back in the Philippines, San Miguel denied TNT of a grand slam – dominating the Tropang 5G in five games to reclaim the PBA Philippine Cup.
READ: SMB reclaims PBA Philippine Cup title, denies TNT a grand slam
Jericho Cruz broke out in that series, getting under the skin of his opponents while hitting the big blows for the Beermen on offense to win finals MVP.
August
All eyes were on Gilas Pilipinas as it flew to Saudi Arabia for the FIBA Asia Cup with high hopes.
Things didn’t turn out all too well for Gilas.
READ: Gilas finishes 7th in FIBA Asia Cup as title drought continues
A shock loss to Chinese Taipei in the opener was followed by a loss to New Zealand. And while Gilas recovered footing by beating Iraq to qualify to the quarterfinals, and then eliminating host Saudi in the final eight, the country bowed out of the tournament by losing to Australia.
They ended the tournament 7th with a 2-3 record.
Team Liquid Philippines, on the other hand, would win their second major title this year by ruling the MSC 2025 at the Esports World Cup, also in Saudi Arabia, running over Malaysia's Selangor Red Giants.
September
Alex Eala continued to make history in Philippine tennis by becoming the first ever athlete from the Philippines to win a WTA title – winning the WTA 125 Guadalajara Open.
Eala beat Panna Udvardy of Hungary in the finals to complete a historic run for the Filipina in a tournament where she showed great grit and character.
READ: Alex Eala shakes off sluggish start to win first WTA 125 title
The 20-year-old battled through four extended sets from the round of 32 all the way to the championship to lay hands on the historic trophy in Mexico.
October
October was truly a busy month for Philippine sports.
Over in Jakarta, Indonesia, Caloy Yulo continued to be the best in the world in gymnastics vault – taking home a gold medal in the 53rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
In the same country, albeit in a different island of Bali, Chezka Centeno also became a world champion, ruling the WPA Women’s 10-Ball World Championship by beating compatriot Rubilen Amit in the finals.
While our athletes were taking home gold medals elsewhere, the country was also busy hosting world events back home.
The country hosted the historic FIVB Men’s World Championship – the first time the Philippines competed in a volleyball world cup event both in men’s and women’s. Alas Men certainly made the most out of it, winning one by game taking down world No. 23 Egypt before their tournament ended in heartbreak, losing to Iran in five sets in a match that they already won before Kim Malabunga was called for a net touch.
READ: Iran ousts brave Alas Men from FIVB Worlds in five-set thriller
Golf also took the spotlight as the country’s top golfer, Miguel Tabuena, ruled The International Series Philippines – the biggest golf tournament the country has hosted, with Tabuena beating the likes of Dustin Johnson, Kasuki Higa and Yosuke Asaji for a $360,000 (around P6 million) paycheck .
The month ended with the country commemorating the 50th anniversary of Thrilla in Manila at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Melvin Jerusalem retained the WBC minimumweight crown by beating Siyakholwa Kuse in the main event of the show.
Over at Esports, Team Liquid Philippines claimed back-to-back MPL Philippines titles by sweeping Aurora in the Season 16 finals.
November
Petro Gazz wrapped up a solid PVL year by winning the PVL Reinforced Conference, ending ZUS Coffee’s Cinderella run for their fourth pro volleyball title.
Jonas Magpantay carried the flag in the Qatar 10-Ball Cup, beating Poland's Szymon Kura for a US$100,000 cash prize.
Eldrew Yulo also proved that there’s another ‘Yulo’ set to leave a mark in gymnastics with a solid run in the Junior Artistic Gymnastics World Championships here in the Philippines, winning two bronze medals in the floor and horizontal bar exercises.
The Philippines then hosted its second World Cup event in the country, with the Filipina5 competing in the FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup – a tournament ruled by Brazil.
December
December was all about two things – college hoops and the 2025 Southeast Asian Games.
For college ball, it was all about reclamation. San Beda got back on top of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament by sweeping archrival Letran in the finals, while La Salle retained its UAAP title by getting back at University of the Philippines in a three-game thriller.
Then some of the country’s best national athletes took center stage as the Philippines took home 50 gold medals in the biennial meet.
The Filipinas claimed a historic gold in football, beating Vietnam in the finals while Alas Women Beach also gave the Philippines its first win in Beach Volleyball by ruling the entire tournament for the first time.
Kayla Sanchez took home eight medals – three golds and five silvers – for a highly impressive SEA Games debut in swimming.
The Philippines also continued to rule five-on-five basketball despite eligibility issues, with Gilas Men and Gilas Women both beating the host squads in a heated gold medal games.
Eumir Marcial also made sure that the boxing team won’t go home without a single gold medal, after winning his fifth SEA Games gold in Thailand.
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