The 2023 Heavies' Awards: Fighter of the Year - WINNER: SEAN STRICKLAND!

[Valhoven]

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Arguably the most coveted of recognition – Fighter of the Year. Inside the cage and out, these 5 warriors rose above their peers in a famously unstable cocktail of performance and personality.

Let's get right to it and meet our top 5, then vote for 2023's top fighter!

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Name: Sean Strickland (USA)

Showing: 3-0

Highlight: Sends shockwave throughout MMA world with W over top-dog Israel Adesanya for MW gold.

Quote: I can fight 25 minutes. I can fight 1 hour. And I f***ing love you guys. Let's go!



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Name: Islam Makhachev (Russia)

Showing: 2-0

Highlight: 2 Ws over widely-lauded P4P Aussie Alexander Volkanovski.

Quote: I never choose someone. Dana, you have job. Give me someone.



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Name: Alex Pereira (Brazil)

Showing: 2-1

Highlight: Earns much-sought two division bragging rights with elbow-raining victory over Jiri Prochazka for UFC LHW title.

Quote: Adesanya, come to Daddy. [at LHW]



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Name: Leon Edwards (Jamaica)

Showing: 2-0

Highlight: Twice defends WW throne.

Quote: I'm a mixed martial artist. I come out here. And prove my case. I grappled the grappler.



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Name: Francis Ngannou (Cameroon)

Showing: 0-0

Highlight: Leaves UFC to throw hat in boxing ring, where his pro debut sees knockdown of top HW talent Tyson Fury.

Quote: Tonight was about determination. Dedication. Tonight was about hope. Faith in myself. In my goal.

 

[Vegeta]

#1 Sean Strickland

 

[haj02]

How is a fighter who didn't fight in the UFC in this poll?

 

[Shaddows]

Clear victory for Alex. Because he won a second belt with so little MMA Training.
I'd venture guess no one else moved to the sport and a couple of years later he is double-champ

 

[TJH Exitium]

Could easily be Alex Pereira because of what he accomplished

But my vote went to Sean Strickland who emerged as the people's champ

 

[vinnie245]

If Pereira didnt have that loss he'd be a slam dunk but with it its a 2 way street between him and Strickland.

 

[Liverkick-king56]

Strickland deserves it easily.
Strickland was barely a favourite against Abus, the underdog against Imavov and obviously Izzy and he absolutely dominated all 3 opponents.

 

[cade187]

Olivier Aubin-Mercier in my opinion. 4-0 in 2023 to close out a 10-0 campaign in PFL and back-to-back LW Tournament wins.

 

[TempleoftheDog]

How is a fighter who didn't fight in the UFC in this poll?

Didn’t fight in mma at all. 0-0 record.

I know.. Let’s nominate him for fighter of the year. That is beyond ridiculous.

 

[Jackonfire]

Great looking thread val, I really appreciate you putting it together. I voted Pereira. Lost his MW belt to his old nemesis but didn't let that stop him. Got right back on that horse, went up in weight and captured another belt. And he had to go through Jan and Jiri to do it.

 

[Substance Abuse]

Strickland. 3-0. Had the biggest upset we've seen in a long time in a thorough domination of a guy who many thought would soundly beat him. It was an incredible year for him. Pereira was a close second despite his loss.

Great looking OP @Valhoven . Good job by you!

 

[Ghostoftheville]

Olivier Aubin-Mercier in my opinion. 4-0 in 2023 to close out a 10-0 campaign in PFL and back-to-back LW Tournament wins.

More deserving of a nomination than the mma that did not compete in mma for the year but got the moral victory in a loss.

 

[Myrddin Wild]

Tough choicez, but I went with Strickland due to the unbalanced odds that he could win.

 

[Reach4theSky]

Olivier Aubin-Mercier in my opinion. 4-0 in 2023 to close out a 10-0 campaign in PFL and back-to-back LW Tournament wins.

Admittedly I'm a UFC mark. Didn't realize he's been tearing it up. Also noticed that all 5 of his loses are by decision. Dude has never been finished...

Not sure if he's interested in going back to the UFC, but he definitely deserves to be there..

 

[cade187]

Admittedly I'm a UFC mark. Didn't realize he's been tearing it up. Also noticed that all 5 of his loses are by decision. Dude has never been finished...

Not sure if he's interested in going back to the UFC, but he definitely deserves to be there..

He just retired unfortunately. Guy definitely hit his stride in PFL though.

 

[Royce's Gi]

STRICKLAND DID THE IMPOSSIBLE!

Nobody thought he'd win that fight against Dizzy

 

[Neck&Neck]

He just retired unfortunately. Guy definitely hit his stride in PFL though.

damn did he really hetire?
I remember after his last fight he was mentioning it
I was like damn, PFL so boring even the champ wants to hetire lol



I would go with Strickland I guess
a good American love story

 

[corrupted]

I prefer Alex a a fighter. And think he probably achieved more by becoming champ in a second division so soon after joining the UFC. But Strickland's story matters. He's made waves beyond MMA with his openness to discuss his childhood traumas and his individual character flaws that I think he deserves the shout. That plus the fact he took a shot the "rightful" contender didn't want and shocked the world. And I DO NOT agree with a lot of his pseudo political statements. But he's come a long way and deserves the credit he gets. I'd love to see him faceplant DDP

Mercier deserves a shout for sure. Had a hell of a year.

 

[The_Renaissance]

Poatan for me.

 

[WoozyFailGuy]

Strickland. 3-0. Had the biggest upset we've seen in a long time in a thorough domination of a guy who many thought would soundly beat him. It was an incredible year for him. Pereira was a close second despite his loss.

Great looking OP @Valhoven . Good job by you!

Completely agree with this. Was going to vote Alex as I'm a huge fan, but 2023 was undoubtedly Stricklands year. Went from only being talked about here as a meme to blowing up with an upset of the decade. Alex was a close second. Makachev beat Volk on short notice so it will always have an asterik next to it. Leon did what was expected, how often does the new champ that won the belt lose it in the immediate rematch? Almost never.