Issue 070
December 2010
The Fighters Only World Mixed Martial Arts Awards is back for 2010. The biggest event in the MMA calendar, sponsored by bodybuilding.com, goes down at the Pearl at The Palms resort and casino, Las Vegas, on December 1, 2010. Not only will MMA legend Randy Couture be master of ceremonies, we’re absolutely delighted to announce that Emmy Award-winning sports presenter Molly Qerim will be joining ‘The Natural’ on stage as co-host!
This landmark event isn’t just the most glittering and star-studded occasion in the MMA calendar. It’s the one opportunity that you, the fans, have to really make your voice heard. Who will take the mantle Fighter of the Year 2010? What was the most inspiring bout of the last 12 months? Which fresh competitor deserves official recognition for breaking through to the big leagues? Who applied the sickest submission? And which brands are putting out the finest MMA gear?
Here’s how to place your vote. It’s even more straightforward than a first-round KO. Simply log on to worldmmaawards.com. Register if you haven’t already. The shortlists, also chosen by fans via our unique nomination process, are there for you to consider. Click on your choices and your votes are registered. That’s it – you’ve played your own part in the Fighters Only World MMA Awards. Voting ceases on November 24th so jump online now to guarantee your judgment counts!
And here are those short lists – with some words of wisdom from the host himself...
“‘Fighter of the Year’ if you ask me has to be Frankie Edgar. Bursting onto the scene and beating BJ Penn not once but twice is a pretty amazing feat. ‘Fight of the Year...’ I was very impressed with the Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen fight. For it to go the way it did, then end like that in the last two minutes... Nobody’s touched Anderson in three years so that fight was shocking and remarkable in a number of ways. ‘Breakthrough Fighter’ has to be Jon Jones. He’s gone from his first fight in the UFC, where he flailed around and everyone thought, ‘Who is this guy?’, to beating Stephan Bonnar and becoming a top-ten fighter.” FO note: your votes don’t have to agree with Randy’s!
FIGHTER OF THE YEAR
Anderson Silva
The greatest pound-for-pound fighter ever – or an erratic champion who barely held on to his belt?
Brock Lesnar
Came storming back from life-threatening illness to best a raging Shane Carwin
Frankie Edgar
Used immaculate skills to beat BJ Penn – twice
Jose Aldo
Frighteningly talented WEC featherweight champion
Mauricio Rua
Steamed through the seemingly unbeatable Lyoto Machida to take the coveted UFC light heavyweight.belt
BREAKTHROUGH FIGHTER OF THE YEAR
Charles Oliveira
20-year-old Brazilian prodigy
Evan Dunham
The heart and the skills to go far
George Sotiropolous
Aussie grappling supremo
John Hathaway
Well-rounded rising UK star
Jon Jones
Inspirational MMA blitzkrieg
FEMALE FIGHTER OF THE YEAR
Cristiane ‘Cyborg’ Santos
Another great year for the women’s pioneer
Megumi Fujii
The only MMA fighter with a 22-0 record (correct at time of going to press)
Miesha.Tate
Strikeforce 135lb tourney winner
Sarah Kaufman
Natural overachiever
Zoila Frausto
Aspiring KO artist
INTERNATIONAL FIGHTER OF THE YEAR
Alistair Overeem
Holland’s veteran kickboxing powerhouse
Dan Hardy
Britain’s charismatic top-five welterweight
George Sotiropolous
Australian hotshot contender
John Hathaway
Brits can wrestle too
Shinya Aoki
Japan’s submission wrestling innovator
FIGHT OF THE YEAR
Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen, UFC.117
This time, the entire arena really was on its feet
Brock Lesnar vs Shane Carwin, UFC 116
A come-from-behind victory that transformed Brock from heel to hero
Chris Leben vs Yoshihiro Akiyama, UFC 116
Goosebumps all round during Leben’s second underdog victory in a fortnight
Chan Sung Jung vs Leonard Garcia, WEC 48
The most seminal slugfest of all time?
Jorge Santiago vs Kazuo Misaki, Sengoku 14
The phrase ‘back-and-forth battle between two highly skilled athletes’ has never been more appropriate
BEST PROMOTION
Bellator
From Latino specialists.to respected MMA brand
Dream
Many of you still hold Japanese MMA production close to your hearts
Strikeforce
Some blistering encounters in the watchable public TV promotion
UFC
By far the largest promotion – and the best? You thought so last year
WEC
A momentous year for Zuffa’s lower-weight l’il brother to the UFC
MOST MEMORABLE ENTRANCE
Anderson Silva
The Spider’s laid-back gi-clad Ain’t No Sunshine themed walkout drew props
Clay Guida
The most pumped-up man in all of MMA?
Jason ‘Mayhem’.Miller
He varies it every time, but the dancers ‘n’ techno walkout for his Jake Shields fight in Strikeforce set a benchmark
‘King Mo’ Lawal
Complete with King Mo’s crown, cape and queens, is it camp or commanding?
You decide
Tom Lawlor
The fighter who made weigh-ins his own
LEADING MAN OF 2010
Bjorn Rebney
The entrepreneur behind the highly credible, and alarmingly regular, Bellator promotion
Dana White
The current title holder – but is he the undisputed champ?
Joe Silva
The UFC’s matchmaker, often declared.their ace in the hole
Michael Schiavello
The only commentator on the list is HDNet’s fan favorite
Scott Coker
The Strikeforce CEO’s had a tough year but keeps on coming forward
COACH OF THE YEAR
Cesar Gracie
The man behind Jake Shields, Gilbert Melendez and the Diaz brothers even attracted Shinya Aoki to his California jiu-jitsu school.
Faras Zahabi
GSP’s main man at Tri-Star in Montreal has recently taken Kenny Florian and Miguel Torres under his wing
Greg Jackson
The current holder is often called “MMA’s greatest coach,” but drew flack this year for some wrestle-heavy victories from noted fighters. But is that just another sign of his genius?
Rafael Cordeiro
Wanderlei Silva’s longtime trainer has left Chute Boxe to set up on his own, with Fabricio Werdum among the students
Shawn Tompkins
Xtreme Couture’s highly respected wrestling coach and currently the man responsible for Vitor Belfort, Wanderlei Silva, Sam Stout and Mark Hominick among others
KNOCKOUT OF THE YEAR
Anthony Njokuani on Chris Horodecki, WEC 45
Horodecki famously turned his back on Njokuani... to receive a head-kick from behind
Cain Velasquez on Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, UFC 110
The first time ‘Big Nog’ has ever been stopped
‘Shogun’ Rua on Lyoto Machida, UFC 113
The ‘Machida Era’ over before it had even started
Mike Russow on Todd Duffee, UFC 114
One for all the unlikely looking contenders out there
Rich Franklin on Chuck Liddell, UFC 115
Skill and accuracy under pressure – topped an eventful year for Franklin
SUBMISSION OF THE YEAR
Matt Hughes on Ricardo Almeida, UFC 117
A ‘Dave Schultz’ headlock on the jiu-jitsu.prodigy proved MH is still in the game
Chris Leben on Yoshihiro Akiyama, UFC 116
The most emotional moment of 2010? In his second fight in a fortnight, Leben slaps on an triangle in the dying seconds
Anderson Silva on Chael Sonnen, UFC 118
The second most emotional moment of 2010: after being mercilessly ground ‘n’ pounded for almost five rounds, Silva finally triangles the challenger
Cole Miller on Dan Lauzon, UFC 108
Not just a double submission – fan-fave Miller used an inverted triangle and adapted kimura combination
Fabricio Werdum on Fedor Emelianenko, Strikeforce: Fedor vs Werdum
The submission that.broke the Internet, as the BJJ ace traps his legendary opponent in a triangle-armbar chain combo
Best Gym
American Kickboxing Academy
American Top Team
Black House
Greg Jackson
Wand Fight Team
Referee of the Year
‘Big’ John McCarthy
Dan Miragliotta
Herb Dean
Josh Rosenthal
Mario Yamasaki
Ring Girl of the Year
Arianny Celeste
Brittney Palmer
Chandella Powell
Natalie Skyy
Rachelle Leah
Best Lifestyle Clothing
Affliction
FightChix
RVCA
Silver Star
TapouT
Best Technical Clothing
Bad.Boy
Hayabusa
Jaco
TapouT
Venum
Best Technical Equipment
Everlast
Fairtex
Hayabusa
TapouT
Venum
MMA Media Source of the Year
Inside MMA
MMA Junkie
MMA Weekly
MMA Fighting
Sherdog
MMA Journalist of the Year
Aaron Teweles
Ariel Helwani
Conner Cordova
Gareth A Davies
John Morgan
...
