Alex Pereira, UFC 300 ceremonial weigh-in Credit score: Gabriel Gonzalez/Cageside Press
It’s laborious to recollect a 12 months, at the very least in current occasions, the place the alternatives for Fighter of the Yr whether or not male or feminine have been so apparent. So persuasive a marketing campaign did our Feminine Fighter of the Yr have that there was just one different title even within the working, and it wasn’t shut. As for the lads’s facet, it was a two-horse race that includes two fighters who had phenomenal 2024s.
Fighter of the Yr 2024: Male
Eddie Regulation: Ilia Topuria. Laborious to beat ‘El Matador’ even if you happen to’re Alex Pereira. Pereira had a hell of a 12 months with three KO finishes in three PPVs in a span of a six months. Topuria completed two world champions in Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway and is perhaps making a case as prime star within the UFC
Jay Anderson: I think about this a two-horse race between Alex Pereira and Ilia Topuria. Nearly as good a 12 months as Diego Lopes had, these two had phenomenal campaigns. Now the query turns into, easy methods to distinguish between the 2? Topuria defeated a pair of former champs, each of whom are among the many biggest featherweights to ever compete. Gentle heavyweight Pereira additionally defeated a pair of former champions, in addition to Khalil Rountree Jr., headlined the 2 largest playing cards of the 12 months, and repeatedly stepped up on quick discover to save lots of occasions. All whereas hitting a stage of stardom that Topuria has but to attain. It’s a reasonably slight edge, and there’s no unsuitable reply right here, however I’m siding with “Poatan.”
Gabriel Gonzalez: Alex Pereira. Pereira had all of it in 2024. He stepped up on quick discover when he didn’t must, twice. He earned fashion factors, stopping all three of his opponents. Lastly, he broke by way of as a persona that the followers have gotten behind whether or not or not it’s with the Easter Island expression, his tribal struggle paint, his walkout, or only one phrase: Chama.
Bryson Hester: Alex Pereira. Pereira beats out Ilia Topuria by the narrowest of margins. Pereira defended his gentle heavyweight belt 3 times this 12 months. Pereira stopped Jamahal Hill in a single spherical in April. He then circled and stopped Jiri Prochazka once more of their rematch with a spectacular head kick. Alex completed off his 12 months with a fourth spherical end over Khalil Rountree Jr. in an absolute struggle. Alex entered every of those fights compromised but nonetheless discovered a option to ship on the most important stage.
Patrick McCorry: Alex Pereira. Three fights, three KOs, saved a number of playing cards.
Cade Morehouse: My male fighter of the 12 months must be Illia Topuria. Topuria knocked out Alexander Volkanovski in February to turn into the undisputed featherweight champion of the world. In a while this 12 months he did what nobody thought was attainable thus far and knocked out the nice Max Holloway to defend his title. He beat two of or if not the 2 biggest featherweights to stroll the face of this earth and that is sufficient to earn male fighter of the 12 months.
Brett Cagle: Alex Pereira. Since transferring as much as 205 kilos Alex Pereira has introduced pleasure again to the Gentle Heavyweight division. With knockout wins over Khalil Rountree, Jamahal Hill, and Jiri Prochazka the male Fighter of the Yr is a runaway choice. Pereira headlined UFC 300 and is rapidly changing into one of many largest stars within the sport. The previous skilled kickboxer is must-see tv each time he fights and might be a official menace to turn into the UFC’s first three-weight champion if given the chance.
Mathis Desjardins: Ilia Topuria. Alex Pereira has an ideal argument for ‘MVP of the Year’, saving the UFC on a number of events and changing into the primary champion to defend his title 3 times inside a 179-day span. Nonetheless, the extent of competitors at light-heavyweight merely doesn’t evaluate to what Ilia Topuria pulled off this 12 months. The Spaniard arguably recorded the best back-to-back wins within the historical past of the game. Nobody achieved extra in 2024 than El Matador.
Finish consequence: Alex “Poatan” Pereira is our 2024 Fighter of the Yr, with Ilia Topuria an in depth second. The previous middleweight and present gentle heavyweight champion of the UFC secured three title defenses, headlined the 2 largest playing cards of the 12 months, and arguably saved all three occasions he appeared on.
