Fighter of the Year?

Chris Weidmann.

What a performance!

Gus also comes to mind.
 
Weidman will have beaten one guy, who is 38, and we're presuming is still a p4p best right now, although theoretically could have gotten old overnight and prove that in time. That does not a body of work to warrant fighter of the year make. I always have a tough time giving fighter of the year to a guy who won twice, unless maybe the wins were in your face great, against different opponents. I gave Cub Swanson FOY last cycle because there were no standout candidates with 3 or more wins, which he had in emphatic fashion. You should have to prove you couldn't just beat one opponent because of potentially the match-up factor, or him not being what he was due to injuries and/or age. All Weidman has is win of the year it appears.
 
Pettis or Cain look like in they are in a good spot. GSP too many decisions though?
 
I think it's going to either be Pettis or Weidman after they defend their titles.
 
Weidman should be named fighter of the year just for knocking Anderson off of his throne. Otherwise, I'd say that it's either Anthony Pettis' or Cain Velasquez's year to take the cake.
 
Weidman OR pettis.
Others have not done enough
 
either pettis or weidman if they win their next fight
 
Why would fighter of the year include a 2012 fight? Doesn't make much sense, even if it is near the end of the year, it is still 2012. Also, the Silva vs Weidman II should be included as it is 2013.
 
delbosque said:
For the sake of argument, I am assuming the following:

1. Each of the fighters listed herein will win their next fight.

2. "Fighter of the Year" for 2013 will include the results of the December 14 UFC On Fox 9 card, which includes Pettis v. Thomson and Brown v. Condit.

3. Results from the December 29, 2012, UFC 155 card (featuring JDS v. Velasquez II) will be included in the analysis for Fighter of the Year for 2013.

All of this being stipulated to, let's get to the nominees and their resumes....

Cain Velasquez
Dec. 29, 2012: Defeats JDS via UD, wins title
May 25, 2013: Defeats Antonio Silva via KO/TKO, defends title
Oct. 19, 2013: Beats JDS, defends title

Junior Dos Santos
Dec. 29, 2012: Loses to Velasquez via UD, loses title
May 25, 2013: Defeats Mark Hunt via KO/TKO
Oct. 19, 2013: Defeats Cain, wins title

Jon Jones
Apr. 27, 2013: Defeats Chael Sonnen via TKO, defends title
Sep. 21, 2013: Defeats Alexander Gustaffson via UD, defends title

Chris Weidman
Jul. 6, 2013: Defeats Anderson Silva via TKO, wins title

Georges St. Pierre
Mar. 16, 2013: Defeats Nick Diaz via UD, defends title
Nov. 16, 2013: Defeats Johny Hendricks, defends title

Johny Hendricks
Mar. 16, 2013: Defeats Carlos Condit via UD
Nov. 16, 2013: Defeats GSP, wins title

Matt Brown
Apr. 20, 2013: Defeats Jordan Mein via TKO
Aug. 17, 2013: Defeats Mike Pyle via KO
Dec. 14, 2013: Defeats Carlos Condit

Anthony Pettis
Jan. 26, 2013: Defeats Donald Cerrone via TKO
Aug. 31, 2013: Defeats Benson Henderson via submission, wins title
Dec. 14, 2013: Defeats Josh Thomson, defends title

Jose Aldo
Feb. 2, 2013: Defeats Frankie Edgar via UD, defends title
Aug. 3, 2013: Defeats Chan Sung-Jung via TKO, defends title

Renan Barao
Feb. 16, 2013: Defeats Michael McDonald via submission, defends interim title
Sep. 21, 2013: Defeats Eddie Wineland via KO/TKO, defends interim title

Demetrious Johnson
Jan. 26, 2013: Defeats John Dodson via decision, defends title
Jul. 26, 2013: Defeats John Moraga via submission, defends title

Now let's get into the general criteria for determining Fighter of the Year....

1. Number of wins. Normally, a Fighter of the Year tends to have at least three wins in a calendar year. This year's a bit different, however, so I won't cut those with only two wins. One win is not enough to make Weidman Fighter of the Year, however. He's cut. JDS, even if he beats Cain, still has a loss to Cain in the same calendar year. Cut.

2. Quality wins. Matt Brown's been doing well, but only beating gatekeepers. Even a win over Condit likely won't put him over the top. Cut. GSP = too many decisions. Cut.

3. Wow factor. Jones's, Aldo's, and Johnson's wins this year have been pretty workmanlike. Cut.

This leaves Cain, Hendricks, Pettis, and Barao as our potential fighters of the year. Barao is done for the year with only two wins. If Hendricks beats GSP, he also will have only two wins, but they will be over Condit and GSP. Extremely impressive. If Cain and Pettis each win their next fight, they will have both won a title and defended the title against quality opponents.

Who ends up Fighter of the Year? Have at it.
Click to expand...

If Hendricks somehow beats GSP then it has to be him
 
I am not counting a 2012 fight, so Cain is pretty much out of the running since his Bigfoot win was pointless.

1.) Weidman, counting his possible defense on 12/29.
2.) Hendricks. It would be a historic win, plus Condit becomes a fringe p4p guy if he beats Brown.
3.) Pettis. Two title fight wins plus a demolition of Cerrone is huge.
4.) JDS. Possible Fight OTY against Hunt, possible KO of year of Hunt as well, plus dethroning Cain.
5.) Vitor. Spectacular KOs of Bisping, Rockhold, and then possibly Hendo. Fighter of the year could fall into his lap if he gets some breaks.
 
hendricks should win if he beats GSP, with pettis as a close second *when* he beats thomson, and weidman coming in at third.
 
If Weidman beats Anderson again, he is Fighter of the Year. After all, he will have defeated the consensus P4P king--a fighter who had not lost in nearly a decade (discounting his DQ versus Okami)--twice in the same calendar year. What could possibly be more impressive than that?
 
Cain
Pettis
Weidman

I guess we're not considering UFC 168...?
 
If pettis wins, him.

If Weidman, probably him.

If Brown somehow manages to make it past condit, maybe even him.



One of those 3
 
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