Sixth Annual Fighters Only World MMA Awards

LAS VEGAS – Fighters Only, the world’s leading mixed martial arts (MMA) magazine, is proud to reveal the shortlists for the Sixth Annual World MMA Awards, which features a handful of first time nominees, dozens of all star names, and a sprinkling of incredible moments.

Each year the shortlists for 21 categories are put together by the industry-leading publication’s team of international editors and a selection of handpicked fighters and industry insiders. And this year’s panel agrees the list of nominees for this year’s sixth annual Awards is perhaps the strongest yet.

Rob Hewitt, CEO and president of Fighters Only Ltd, says: “The nominations panel for the Sixth Annual Fighters Only World MMA Awards have been spoiled for choice in regards to putting together this year's shortlists, but I believe they've finally managed to select the very best moments from the voting period. Without question, 2013 has been hugely significant for mixed martial arts and the action inside the world's leading rings and cages has reflected that. This year's Awards have also been moved back to February so that all future events will take in a calendar year, so that also means that fans have got 15 months of action to consider when voting this year.”

At midnight on December 31st 2013 the voting website, www.worldmmaawards.com, will go live, giving fans the opportunity to register their votes in all categories, including: ‘Fight of the Year,’ ‘Knockout of the Year’ and ‘Submission of the Year’. The site will remain live and taking votes until midnight on January 31st 2014.

The Sixth Annual Fighters Only Awards are the most keenly contested in history, and not simply because mixed martial arts has enjoyed arguably it’s most successful year to date. No, this year’s voting period takes in 15 months of competition - from October 1st 2012 through to December 31st 2013 - in order for all future World MMA Awards’ voting to utilize a more fan-friendly standard calendar year.

And, as is tradition, this year's Awards shortlists also include a new category: ‘Trainer of the Year.’ This award has been introduced to recognize the impact strength and conditioning coaches and nutritionists are having in MMA, and how the sport now supports an increasing number of elite-level fitness professionals.

So, who made the shortlists? Which fighters, executives, brands and moments of pure magic will fight it out for your votes and the much sought-after silver statues? Here are the official shortlists for the Sixth Annual Fighters Only World MMA Awards:

Charles ‘Mask’ Lewis Fighter of the Year

1. Vitor Belfort

2. Urijah Faber

3. Demetrious Johnson 

4. Chris Weidman 

5. Cain Velasquez

Female Fighter of the Year

1. Joanne Calderwood 

2. Alexis Davis

3. Jessica Eye

4. Holly Holm

5. Ronda Rousey

Breakthrough Fighter of the Year

1. Travis Browne

2. TJ Grant

3. Conor McGregor

4. Nick Newell

5. Khabib Nurmagomedov

International Fighter of the Year

1. Shinya Aoki

2. Alexander Gustafsson

3. Conor McGregor

4. Khabib Nurmagomedov

5. Alexander Shlemenko

Fight of the Year

1. Wanderlei Silva vs. Brian Stann  (UFC on Fuel TV 8)

2. Michael Chandler vs. Eddie Alvarez II (Bellator 106)

3. Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson (UFC 165)

4. Gilbert Melendez vs. Diego Sanchez (UFC 166)

5. Mark Hunt vs. Antonio Silva (UFC Fight Night 33)

Knockout of the Year

1. Vitor Belfort  (vs. Luke Rockhold, UFC on FX 8)

2. Junior Dos Santos (vs. Mark Hunt, UFC 160)

3. Emanuel Newton (vs. ‘King Mo’ Lawal, Bellator 90)

4. Julio Cesar Neves Jr (vs. Dener Dos Santos, WOCS 28)

5. Chris Weidman (vs. Anderson Silva, UFC 162)

Submission of the Year

1. Olivier Fontaine (vs. Sofian Benchohra, Lyon FC)

2. Josh Burkman (vs. Jon Fitch, WSOF 3)

3. Urijah Faber (vs. Ivan Menjivar, UFC 157)

4. Rose Namajunas (vs. Kathina Catron, Invicta 5) 

5. Kenny Robertson (vs. Brock Jardine, UFC 157)

Comeback of the Year

1. Travis Browne (vs. Alistair Overeem, UFC Fight Night 26)

2. Blagoi Ivanov (career)

3. Robbie Lawler (career)

4. Michelle Waterson (vs. Jessica Penne, Invicta 5)

5. Tom Watson (vs. Stanislav Nedkov, UFC on Fuel TV 7)

Shawn Tompkins Coach of the Year

1. Henri Hooft

2. Duane Ludwig

3. Ray Longo

4. Andre Pederneiras

5. Duke Roufus

Gym of the Year

1. AKA

2. Jackson-Winkeljohn MMA

3. Nova Uniao

4. Roufusport

5. Team Alpha Male

Trainer of the Year

1. Doug Balzarini

2. Jake Bonacci

3. Jonathan Chaimberg

4. Mike Dolce

5. Joel Jamieson

Referee of the Year

1. Herb Dean

2. Marc Goddard

3. Yves Lavigne

4. John McCarthy

5. Mario Yamasaki

Ringcard Girl of the Year

1. Jade Bryce

2. Arianny Celeste 

3. Kat Kelley

4. Brittney Palmer

5. Mercedes Terrell

Leading Man

1. Victor Cui

2. Lorenzo Fertitta

3. Bjorn Rebney

4. Ray Sefo

5. Dana White

Personality of the Year

1. Bruce Buffer

2. Kenny Florian

3. Joe Rogan

4. Bas Rutten

5. Chael Sonnen

Best Promotion

1. Bellator MMA

2. Cage Warriors

3. One FC

4. UFC

5. WSOF

Best Lifestyle Clothing

1. Bad Boy

2. Fear the Fighter

3. Headrush

4. Roots of Fight

5. Torque

Best Technical Clothing

1. Bad Boy

2. Clinch Gear

3. Hayabusa

4. Jaco

5. Venum

Best Technical Equipment

1. Bad Boy

2. Century

3. Everlast

4. Hayabusa

5. Venum

Media Source of the Year

1. Inside MMA (AXS TV)

2. MMA Fighting 

3. MMA Junkie

4. Sherdog

5. UFC Tonight (Fox Sports)

Journalist of the Year

1. Mike Chiapetta (Fox Sports)

2. Gareth A Davies (The Daily Telegraph / Fox Sports)

3. Ben Fowlkes (USA Today / MMA Junkie)

4. Ariel Helwani (MMA Fighting / Fox Sports)

5. John Morgan (USA Today / MMA Junkie)

 

Remember, the Awards website, www.worldmmaawards.com, is live now, with the fan voting set to go live at midnight December 31st 2013. Don’t miss your chance to have a say on MMA history. You’ve got until midnight on January 31st 2014 to register your vote, so don’t delay, log on today.

The Sixth Annual Fighters Only World MMA Awards are once more sponsored by Bodybuilding.com, the internet’s most visited health and fitness site and largest online retailer of nutritional supplements. Along with BSN, one of the planet’s leading and multi-award winning sports supplement providers which also powers some of the planet’s leading fighters including UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez.

For further details on Fighters Only, the Awards sponsors, The Venetian Resort, and other essential information, please see below.