Vote on World Mixed Martial Arts Awards 2009 finalists now

December 5, 10:58 PMMMA ExaminerAstrid Bidanec

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World Mixed Martial Arts Awards 2009

Photo courtesy of Fighters Only Magazine

Vote on World MMA Awards 2009 now sponsored by the leading mixed martial arts (MMA) magazine Fighters Only which has announced the finalists after a six-months-long of preliminary process. The Award ceremony will take place on Dec.30 in Las Vegas and will be the equivalent of the Oscars for the MMA scene.

Five Finalists have been chosen for each of the 18 categories and now need to be voted on:

Fighter of the Year

	Mike Thomas Brown Earning KO, submission and fight of the night honors in your last three fights is no easy task but when you’re doing it at the top of the WEC’s hyper competitive Featherweight division it’s another thing entirely. Brown’s achievement of such a feat defeating Urijah Faber twice and Leonard Garcia sees him in the running for Fighter of the Year.
	Brock Lesnar Lesnar comprehensively beat two former UFC Champions on the road to becoming the undisputed champion in just his fourth and fifth fights. Physical prowess that is rarely rivalled coupled with a lightning fast improvement of his skills have seen Lesnar propelled to the top of the UFC’s newly regenerated heavyweight division.
	Lyoto Machida Always a dominant fighter Machida found his KO power in 2009 sending Thiago Silva and then UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans back to the changing room early recovering from being knocked out whilst Machida himself looked like he’d simply warmed up. Evasive and now destructive Machida’s new found aggression has earned him a legion of new fans, a UFC title and a place in the finals of Fighter of the Year.
	Anderson Silva Whilst the 2008 Fighter of the Year struggled to find motivation (and a finish) in his first two bouts in the nomination period his effortless looking KO of former light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin at UFC 101 allowing him to demonstrate his phenomenal skill levels and sees him return to the finals of this category for the second year running.
	Georges St.Pierre St.Pierre demonstrated why he’s considered the man to beat at 170 lbs this year delivering dominating performances against BJ Penn and Thiago Alves. A fighter who constantly proves that athleticism, composure and strategy are vital components of a Champion’s skillset

Fight of the Year

	Mike Thomas Brown vs. Urijah Faber, WEC 41 Some thought that Brown’s victory in their initial fight (WEC 36) was a fluke but the 25 minute war of a rematch at WEC 41 removed all doubt. Faber broke his right hand and dislocated his left during the fight but fought on regardless at breakneck pace. Brown demonstrated his trademark toughness in taking everything Faber could throw at him and returning with interest.
	Rich Franklin vs. Wanderlei Silva, UFC 99 In a back and forth fight that saw both fighters rocked and close to being finished UFC 99 delivered a headline bout of epic proportions. Silva demonstrated a more cautious strategy than we’ve been used to seeing but once he smelled blood ‘The Axe Murderer’ emerged again. Franklin showed great versatility and his tenacity taking the bout via unanimous decision with Wanderlei Silva proving once again that he puts on a show even when he loses.
	Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir, UFC 100 Rating high on most people’s list of rematches that needed to happen, UFC 100 headlined with a more experienced Lesnar looking to avenge the loss that welcomed him into the UFC. Spending most of the first round controlling Mir’s posture and delivering some frightful ground and pound, the much improved Lesnar stopped Mir early in the second round to become the UFC’s undisputed Heavyweight Champion.
	Antonio Nogueira vs. Randy Couture, UFC 102 Proving that the elder statesmen of the game can still put on a show Nogueira/Couture was a fight that had many on the edge of their seats for the full 3 rounds. Nogueira but Couture under pressure early and almost submitted the veteran in the first round but Couture’s never-say-die attitude saw him competitive until the end despite being outmatched on the night.

Diego Sanchez vs. Clay Guida, TUF 9 finale Clay Guida and Diego Sanchez struggle to put on dull fights at the best of times but when they were matched at the TUF 9 finale few expected just how exciting this fight would be. In what was effectively a 15 minute highlight reel, Sanchez demonstrated excellent striking, Guida demonstrated excellent grappling and both demonstrated ridiculous toughness and conditioning. In the end the result was almost secondary.

KO of the Year

	Rashad Evans vs. Chuck Liddell, UFC 88 What looked to be a grappler versus striker match in the making turned out very different in reality. Evans cautiously waited for his moment avoiding Liddell for most of the first round. Just under two minutes into the second half Evans saw an opening a launched an heavy overhand right which knocked Liddell out cold.
	Dan Henderson vs. Mike Bisping, UFC 100 Bisping seemed to get the better of the verbal sparring match during the filming of Season 9 of The Ultimate Fighter where he opposed Henderson as coach of the UK team. However, Henderson did all his talking with his fists when the two fought at UFC 100 landing his trademark right hand midway through the second round securing the KO victory.
	Lyoto Machida vs. Rashad Evans, UFC 98 With both fighters being master tacticians many were unsure how this title fight would play out but few expected a jaw dropping KO the magnitude of which Lyoto Machida delivered. Timing, precision and power all came together to relieve Evans of his belt and herald the arrival of the real Karate Kid.
	Nate Marquardt vs. Demian Maia, UFC 102 This fight between two middleweights gaining momentum looked to be a technical bout in the making given both men’s history. What we got was something very different with Marquardt delivering a right hand kick counter that literally took Maia off his feet in one of the opening exchanges of the fight and secured him KO of the night for 21 seconds of fight time.

Anderson Silva vs. Forrest Griffin, UFC 102 Forever seeking new challenges Anderson Silva made a memorable return to the light heavyweight division with this unique performance against former champion Griffin. After offering virtually no offence in the first two minutes Silva suddenly went on the attack landing punches at will. Demonstrating his dominance Silva dropping his hands inviting punches (of which none landed) before dropping Griffin with a jab while going backwards.

Submission of the Year

	Terry Etim vs. Justin Buchholtz, UFC 99 Bucholtz put Etim under a severe amount of pressure in the first round, rocking the Brit and breaking his nose. Etim weathered the storm and came back strong in the second round eventually landing a succession of knees to set up a D’Arce choke just over half way through the round.
	Dustin Hazelett vs. Tamdan McCrory, UFC 91 Making his second appearance in the finals of this category Hazelett demonstrated that he’s continuing to push Jiu Jitsu further in the UFC with this sublime submission over Tamdan McCrory. From the moment he isolated McCrory’s arm he was constantly threatening with an omoplata but eventually managed to get the tap out with an inverted straight arm bar.
	Toby Imada vs. Jorge Masvidal, Bellator Fighting Championship 4 It’s almost always the case of position before submission when it comes to tapping people out but Toby Imada’s Inverted Triangle Choke submission of Jorge Masvidal was more of a case of ‘grab-it-on-the-run’. With more than a decade of competing under his belt, Imada showed his veteran status securing the submission as Masvidal attempted to complete an Iranian Lift for this great come-from-behind win.
	Demian Maia vs. Chael Sonnen, UFC 95 Always about three steps ahead of former WEC title challenger Sonnen, Maia’s performance looks predictable when you watch it now due to the high level of control he displayed. Deliberate and precise, Maia’s triangle and the lead up to it is an excellent example of Jiu Jitsu in action.

BJ Penn vs. Kenny Florian, UFC 101 Back to defend his lightweight title after challenging Georges St.Pierre for his strap BJ Penn fought like he had a point to prove. Florian came up short in all areas apart from aggression against the Hawaiian and in the forth Penn got the fight to the mat and secured a rear naked choke on his first attempt.

Best Promotion

	Bellator Fighting Chamionsip
	D.R.E.A.M.
	Strikeforce
	UFC

WEC

Leading Man of the Year

	Scott Coker CEO of West Coast promotion Strikeforce, Coker has been instrumental in building the profile of women’s MMA holding the Carano/Santos fight which aired on Showtime in the US.
	Lorenzo Fertitta The CEO of Zuffa LLC is also a majority shareholder (with his brother Frank Fertitta III) in the company and in 2008 made a full time commitment to help expand UFC internationally.
	Charles ‘Mask’ Lewis The co-founder of Tapout sadly died in March of this year but his efforts to promote MMA and in particular the support that he gave to dozens of fighters will never be forgotten.
	Joe Silva UFC matchmaker Silva may be a veteran of the industry with more than a decade’s experience but he’s demonstrated in the last 12 months that his ability to deliver fight cards that consistently entertain, utilising old and new faces alike, is still unrivalled.
	Dana White The President of the UFC is one of the most visible executives in any industry and also one of the most passionate.

European Fighter of the Year

	Mike Bisping 1 win, 1 loss in the nomination period Bisping stepped up to the plate to coach the British team in series 9 of The Ultimate Fighter and help others achieve the same dream he has. The trailblazing Brit’s style worked and 3 out of the 4 finalists places were earned by British fighters, with Brits Pearson and Wilkes walking away with UFC contracts.
	Fedor Emelianenko Fighting only once in the nomination period, Emelianenko looked frustrated by former UFC champion Andrei Arlovski until Arlovski became over-zealous and tried for a flying knee. Emelianenko only needed this tiny window of opportunity to throw one punch and end the fight.
	Terry Etim Understated Etim has quietly gone 3-0 in the UFC during the nomination period finishing his last two fights in spectacular fashion. At UFC 95 he dropped Brian Cobb with a head kick (before finishing him with punches) for the KO victory and at UFC 99 he fought an all out war with Justin Buchholtz eventually submitting him with a d’arce choke which has been shortlisted for Submission of the Year.
	Dan Hardy Prior to stepping in the Octagon in October last year Hardy had already proved that he was one of the best Welterweights in Europe. Now with 3 UFC wins on his record he’s out to prove that he’s one of the best worldwide.
	Gegard Mousasi The most prolific of our finalists Mousasi is 4-0 in the nominating period winning the DREAM Middleweight Grand Prix in September, arm barring former K-1 Champion Mark Hunt in May and then knocking out Renato ‘Babalu’ Sobral in August. In his last victory he outmatched the former UFC title challenger with fearsome ease signalling his arrival in the US.

Breakthrough Fighter of the Year

	Shane Carwin Heavyweight powerhouse Carwin took just 2 minutes 40 seconds to dispatch two opponents in the nominations period which is indicative of the furious pace set by a fighter who has yet to venture past the 3 minute mark in any of his 11 fights. Knocking out former title contender Gabriel Gonzaga has put the Colorado native firmly in the spotlight and set up a title fight with fellow Breakthrough Fighter of the Year contender Brock Lesnar at UFC 106.
	Dan Hardy Making his UFC debut in October 2008, Hardy had certainly paid his dues by the time he walked into the Octagon with 25 contests under his belt. In the last 12 months however he put himself firmly on the international map with victories over Akihiro Gono, Marcus Davis and a highlight reel KO against Rory Markham and earning himself a place in the finals of this category in the process.
	Jon Jones UFC light heavyweight standout Jones possesses an eclectic mix of top level wrestling, often unorthodox striking and an uncanny ability to entertain. Less than two years as a professional fighter, Jones has shown ability beyond his years besting Stephan Bonner and Jake O’Brien in the nomination period, serving notice to all other light heavyweights in the process.
	Brock Lesnar Quite literally one of the biggest names in MMA right now Lesnar took victories over former UFC champions Randy Couture and Frank Mir in the nomination period to become the undisputed UFC Heavyweight Champion in only his fifth fight! Lesnar proved in the last 12 months that he is deadly serious about MMA and his future opponents should do well to take note.

Cain Velasquez One of the fighters responsible for the resurgence of the UFC’s heavyweight division, Velasquez is an impressive wrestler with the ability to dominate his opponents. 2-0 in the nomination period his most high profile match at UFC 99 saw him land 262 strikes on Cheick Congo over 3 rounds – that’s one strike for every 3.5 seconds!

Female Fighter of the Year

	Gina Carano Perhaps the most recognisable Female fighter on the planet Carano went 1-1 in the nomination period. Although she lost her fight with Santos, Carano demonstrated a true fighter’s heart never giving up in the face of real adversity.
	Megamu Fujii The most experienced fighter in this category, submission ace Fujii put another two armbars and a keylock onto her account in the nomination period with 3 straight victories.
	Sarah Kaufman The Canadian knock out artist put together 3 victories in the nomination period and remains undefeated in 10 fights.
	Christiane ‘Cyborg’ Santos Athletic and aggressive Santos went 3-0 in the nomination period but it was the last of these victories that gained her the biggest exposure. In the biggest bout in the history of female MMA Santos battered Gina Carano stopping ‘the face of female MMA’ in the first round.

Rosi Sexton The British fighter Sexton put in an impressive performance against Valerie Coolbaugh at Bellator Fighting Championship 10, winning by armbar in the first round and racking up her fifth consecutive win in the process.

Coach of the Year

	Mark Dellagrotte Instrumental in sharpening the skills of fighters such as Kenny Florian and Marcus Davis, East Coast based Dellagrotte has built a reputation as one of the ‘go to’ coaches to take your game to the next level.
	Greg Jackson This year Jackson was responsible for helping Rashad Evans KO Chuck Liddell and win the light heavyweight title, Georges St.Pierre holding onto the welterweight strap and Nate Marquardt scoring 3 KO’s in a row.
	Ricardo Liborio The co-founder of American Top Team overseas the training and development of some of MMA’s top talent including UFC title challenger Thiago Alves and WEC Champion and Fighter of the Year finalist Mike Brown.
	Greg Nelson Nelson’s responsible for turning UFC heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar from an athlete into a fighter – a feat that sees his ward in the finals for both Breakthrough Fighter and Fighter of the year.

Shawn Tompkins Coach Tompkins works out of Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas where he’s been responsible for the development of fighters such as Gray Maynard, Tyson Griffin, Vitor Belfort and Martin Kampmann.

Ring Girl of the Year

	Arianny Celeste Winner of the Ring Girl of the Year award at the 2008 World MMA Awards, Arianny is one of MMA’s most recognisable ring girls and has held the prestigious position at more UFC events than any other.
	Edith Labelle A ring girl with the UFC until UFC 99 the Canadian native held many a fight fan’s attention whenever she graced the weigh ins or the Octagon.
	Holly Madison Brought in for the special occasion of UFC 100, former Playboy mansion tenant Madison’s only ring girl appearance (so far) seems to be a fan favourite.

	Logan Stanton Newcomer Logan appeared in the UFC earlier this year and has already made a big impression with fight fans earning a place in the finalists of this category in her first year.
	Natasha Wicks Winner of Maxim magazine’s search for an Octagon Girl, Natasha made her ring girl debut at UFC 101 in Philadelphia.

Gym of the Year

	American Top Team (ATT) Ricardo Liborio, along with the other staff at ATT, have developed this gym from an off shoot of Brazilian Top Team to become a Champion maker in its own right. Notable fighters include Mike Thomas Brown, Thiago Alves, ‘JZ’ Cavalcante, Jorge Santiago and many more.
	Black House Another gym founded by former members of Team Carlson Gracie, Black House is one of Brazil’s most successful gyms. It’s most notable fighters are Anderson Silva and the Nogueira brothers and Lyoto Machida has been known to train there also.
	Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts Coaches Greg Jackson and Michael Winkeljohn run this gym known for developing top talent. Notable fighters include Georges St. Pierre, Nate Marquardt, Rashad Evans, Leonard Garcia, Donald Cerrone and many more.
	Wolfslair The UK’s highest profile gym the Wolfslair coaches and handles the affairs of UFC fighters Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson, Mike Bisping, Cheick Kongo, Paul Kelly and a host of up and coming British talent.

	Xtreme Couture One of the original big MMA gyms in Las Vegas and base to the UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture Xtreme Couture houses some of the world’s top fighting talent. Notable fighters include Vitor Belfort, Amir Sadollah, Tyson Griffin, Forrest Griffin and many more.

Best MMA brand

	Bad Boy
	Hayabusa
	Silverstar
	Tapout
	UFC

Best Overall MMA Clothing Manufacturer

	Affliction
	Silverstar
	Tapout

	Toe2Toe
	One More Round

Best MMA Shorts Manufacturer

	ADX
	Hayabusa
	Sprawl
	Tapout

	Warrior

Best MMA Glove Manufacturer

	Everlast MMA
	Fairtex
	Hayabusa

	Triumph United
	UFC

Best MMA Media Source

	Inside MMA
	MMA Connected
	MMA Junkie
	MMA Weekly
	Sherdog

Best MMA Journalist

	Gareth A. Davies Veteran sports writer Davies has become a hit with fans worldwide covering MMA on his blogs for the highly respected Telegraph.com
	Joe Ferraro A campaigner for the legalization of MMA in Canada for the last decade, Joe is the host of MMA Connected – a weekly MMA show broadcast by Sportsnet.
	Kevin Iole Award-winning veteran sports writer Kevin Iole is the mixed martial arts reporter for Yahoo! Sports.
	Dave Meltzer Covering the UFC since its first event in 1993, covers MMA for Yahoo! Sports and publishes the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
	John Morgan John Morgan is MMA Junkie’s lead staff reporter and Dallas Morning News MMA Blogger.