The 2017 Heavies Awards - Fighter of the Year - Winner: Robert Whittaker

[JayPettryMMA]

The 2017 Heavies Awards - Fighter of the Year ​

Welcome once again to the 2017 Heavies Awards! Thank you to everyone who has voted or chimed in so far! This is for all the marbles - who is your 2017 Fighter of the Year?

These fighters, listed alphabetically, need no introduction, and some of their fights are probably still very fresh in your memory. Each nomination has links to their fights on Fight Pass if you want to rewatch them.

Please vote in the thread and let us know why you feel your pick deserves Fighter of the Year! Thanks for playing!

The Nominees​

Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson, Flyweight Champion (2-0) - Two title defenses, broke the consecutive title defense record with 11, two POTNs, Submission of the Year Winner


(note: as the above picture was taken prior to Johnson's defense against Ray Borg, one additional belt has been stealthily added to the image to make it more current)

Defeated Wilson Reis by R3 Armbar at UFC on Fox 24 on April 15

Defeated Ray Borg by R5 Armbar at UFC 216 on October 7



Max "Blessed" Holloway, Featherweight Champion (2-0) - Unified the FW belt in a FOTN, and then defended it against that former champ, both wins by R3 TKO

Defeated Jose Aldo by R3 TKO at UFC 212 on June 3

Defeated Jose Aldo by R3 TKO at UFC 218 on December 2



Robert "Bobby Knuckles" Whittaker, Middleweight Champion (2-0) - POTN knockout of top contender, won interim MW championship in FOTN battle, promoted to undisputed champion

Defeated Jacare Souza by R2 TKO at UFC on Fox 24 on April 15

Defeated Yoel Romero by Unanimous Decision at UFC 213 on July 8



"Thug" Rose Namajunas, Strawweight Champion (2-0) - Two fights, two stoppages, won the WSW belt by first round TKO as a +500 underdog at +2500 to win by KO/TKO

Defeated Michelle Waterson by R2 Rear Naked Choke at UFC on Fox 24 on April 15

Defeated Joanna Jedrzejczyk by R1 TKO at UFC 217 on November 4



Volkan "No Time" Oezdemir, Light Heavyweight Title Challenger (3-0) - Joined the UFC in February 2017 on short notice debut, won three in a row with two first round knockouts and earned a title shot, one POTN

Defeated Ovince Saint Preux by Split Decision at UFC Fight Night 104 on February 4

Defeated Misha Cirkunov by R1 KO at UFC Fight Night 109 on May 28

Defeated Jimi Manuwa by R1 KO at UFC 214 on July 29





Honorable Mention
Francis Ngannou, Heavyweight Title Challenger (2-0) - Two first round knockouts and earned a title shot in the process, one POTN, winner of Breakout Fighter of the Year and KO of the Year - Wins over Andrei Arlovski and Alistair Overeem

Kyoji Horiguchi, Flyweight/Bantamweight Grand-Prix Champion (5-0) - Five fights, four finishes, including three wins in three days at the Rizin World Grand Prix 2017 2nd Round and Final Round - Wins over Yuki Motoya, Hideo Tokoro, Gabriel Oliveira, Manel Kape, and Shintaro Ishiwatari

Paul Felder, Lightweight (3-0) - Three fights, three KO/TKOs, two POTNs - Wins over Alessandro Ricci, Stevie Ray, and Charles Oliveira - Also became UFC color commentator

Rafael dos Anjos, Welterweight (3-0) - Went up a weight class, dominated the former champ, one POTN - Wins over Tarec Saffiedine, Neil Magny, and Robbie Lawler

 

[po_thead]

It's Whitaker, he took out 2 killers in the toughest division in the sport. This is obvious

 

[ftpngo]

bobby knuckles

 

[oldschoolmmafan]

 

[Tchernobog]

RDA

 

[raaju]

Bobby

 

[JayPettryMMA]

Bobby

 

[DoopidyDawesome]

Voted Max but Knuckles is also a fine choice.

 

[Egészségére!]

Saint Preux had a pretty good year. I like that he fought 4 times in 2017 and won 3 with only a split decision loss to Oezdemir. He also stepped up and fought de Lima at hw and won 2 performance of the nights plus the Von Preux

 

[FrontNakedChoke]

Whittaker then Max

 

[HI SCOTT NEWMAN]

Hard to pick, but I went with Max Holloway.

 

[Daniel_LaRusso]

Rose.

 

[Kenny Powerth]

Whittaker - beat Jacare and Romero in consecutive fights. The level of competition is higher for his wins.

 

[PEDS Help me Post]

No Conor McGregor tho?

 

[JayPettryMMA]

Saint Preux had a pretty good year. I like that he fought 4 times in 2017 and won 3 with only a split decision loss to Oezdemir. He also stepped up and fought de Lima at hw and won 2 performance of the nights plus the Von Preux

It was strange, only seven fighters fought four times this year, and none of them won all four. Only Calvillo and OSP won three of those four, and only 15 fighters won three times this year overall. In the UFC, that is.

 

[JayPettryMMA]

It should also be noted that Demetrious Johnson won the ESPY for Fighter of the Year. Previous year's winners were Conor, Ronda, and then Floyd and Pacquaio for a while.

https://www.mmafighting.com/2017/7/...-a-f-cking-presidential-speech-after-espy-win

"Johnson’s award was announced as the ESPY winner for Fighter of the Year right before the show cut to a commercial, meaning there was no ceremony with a presenter or a speech for the winner, something which didn’t sit well with the champ."

 

[raaju]

No Conor McGregor tho?

 

[beephin]

It's very close. I'll take Whittaker though. Destroyed Jacare, then beats Romero with a messed up knee. Amazing year for the guy.

In a close second, Max Holloway. Dude finished Aldo with strikes in back to back fights. Imagine having that on your resume?

Congrats to both.

 

[judge wolf]

Rose is the fighter of the year for me.
Her whole story just amazes me and I think her progress as a fighter in a year is incredible.
Whittaker had incredible year, but I had to be a gentleman.

 

[The guest]