World MMA Awards finalists announced; Ronda Rousey leads with four nods
The year of the “Rowdy” one continues as Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey has been nominated for four World MMA Awards.
Rousey leads all finalists for the 2012 World MMA Awards, run by Fighters Only magazine. Rousey was nominated for Fighter of the Year, Breakthrough Fighter of the Year, Women’s Fighter of the Year and Submission of the Year (her armbar vs. Miesha Tate). Only Frank Mir managed to secure more than one nomination as he earned nods in both the Submission of the Year (vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira) and Comeback of the Year (also vs. Nogueira).
The awards cover the period from Sept. 1, 2011, to Sept. 30, 2012. Voting ends Dec. 31. Award winners will be announced at a ceremony in Las Vegas in January, date and location TBD.
The complete list of finalists:
Charles “Mask” Lewis Fighter of the Year
Daniel Cormier
Nate Diaz
Benson Henderson
Jon Jones
Ronda Rousey
Female Fighter of the Year
Jessica Aguilar
Sarah Kaufman
Sara McMann
Ronda Rousey
Miesha Tate
Breakthrough Fighter of the Year
Renan Barao
Michael Chandler
Luke Rockhold
Ronda Rousey
Chris Weidman
International Fighter of the Year
Michael Bisping
Alexander Gustafsson
Chan Sung Jung
Martin Kampmann
Stefan Struve
Fight of the Year
Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (UFC 139)
Michael Chandler vs. Eddie Alvarez (Bellator 58)
Jake Ellenberger vs. Diego Sanchez (UFC on FUEL TV 1)
Dustin Poirier vs. Chan Sung Jung (UFC on FUEL TV 3)
Jamie Varner vs. Joe Lauzon (UFC on FOX 4)
Knockout of the Year
Adam Khaliev vs. Alexei Belyaev (League S-70)
Edson Barboza vs. Terry Etim (UFC 142)
Stephen Thompson vs. Dan Stittgen (UFC 143)
Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon (UFC 144)
Brian Rogers vs. Vitor Vianna (Bellator 61)
Submission of the Year
Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (UFC 140)
Charles Oliveira vs. Eric Wisely (UFC on FOX 2)
Rousimar Palhares vs. Mike Massenzio (UFC 142)
Ronda Rousey vs. Miesha Tate (Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey)
Chan Sung Jung vs. Dustin Poirier (UFC on FUEL TV 3)
Comeback of the Year
Alan Belcher (career)
Mike Swick (career)
Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (UFC 140)
Tim Boetsch vs. Yushin Okami (UFC 144)
J.P. Joubert vs. Norman Wessels (EFC Africa 15)
Shawn Tompkins Coach of the Year
Rafael Cordeiro
Cesar Gracie
Greg Jackson
Javier Mendez
Andre Pederneiras
Gym of the Year
American Kickboxing Academy
Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
Jackson-Winkeljohn MMA
Kings MMA
Nova Uniao
Referee of the Year
Herb Dean
Marc Goddard
John McCarthy
Josh Rosenthal
Mario Yamasaki
Ring Card Girl of the Year
Jade Bryce
Arianny Celeste
Kelli Hutcherson
Brittney Palmer
Mercedes Terrell
Leading Man of the Year
Victor Cui
Lorenzo Fertitta
Shannon Knapp
Bjorn Rebney
Dana White
Personality of the Year
Jon Anik
Bruce Buffer
Mauro Ranallo
Joe Rogan
Bas Rutten
Best Promotion
Bellator
Invicta FC
ONE FC
Strikeforce
UFC
Best Lifestyle Clothing Brand
Bad Boy
Dethrone
Headrush
Punishment
TapouT
Best Technical Clothing Brand
Bad Boy
Clinch Gear
Hayabusa
Jaco
Venum
Best Technical Equipment
Everlast
Fairtex
Hayabusa
Pretorian
Venum
MMA Media Source of the Year
MMAFighting.com
ESPN
“Inside MMA” on AXS TV
MMAjunkie.com
Sherdog.com
MMA Journalist of the Year
Ariel Helwani, MMAFighting.com/FUEL TV
Karyn Bryant, MMA HEAT/FUEL TV
Gareth A. Davies, The Telegraph
Ben Fowlkes, MMAjunkie.com/USA TODAY
John Morgan, MMAjunkie.com/USA TODAY
You can vote here up until December 31.
