Is Jorge Masvidal the fighter of the year?

[BrazilPitbullUS]

How can you be fighter of the year when you didn’t win a world title?

StockyardStoic
I think indisputably yes. It's similar to a Conor question and in assessing that type of stuff, we need to separate "greatest" from "best." So which is more important for "Fighter of the Year"? Personally, I think we should look at "greatest" as "best" potentially changes every card. Masvidal provided an easily top 3 greatest moment in UFC history. It will be remembered forever, even if Jorge goes on a 10 fight lose streak in random bum promotions. Askren also did his part to create that electrifying moment, by being Askren with his endless trash talk edited into KO clips across Youtube, by falling unconscious with one leg up in the air. It created the perfect storm for a "greatest" moment.

I remember thinking of many "greatest" moments in the two decades I've been watching UFC. But as the years go by, I forget my favorite ones until they show up in a highlight some years later. It's hard for me to even produce them in my head. One I can think of was watching Machida/Evans live and it felt like the greatest UFC moment ever. There have been tons of flashy, perfect KO's: Etim/Barboza comes to mind, but many start to fade away. But I will never for a second forget Masvidal's KO of Askren. Not just the technique, but the way Askren fell, his strange rigid position with a lifeless face, Masvidal tapping the ground along with the rest of his celebration, his hilarious interviews. Those moments are unforgettable. I probably watched it 100 times by now. The only one that comes close (for me) is Conor vs. Aldo. Similar buildup. Tons of hype and trash talk. But as dominant as Conor's 13 second KO was and how unbelievable it was at the time, somehow, SOMEHOW, Masvidal's was more dominant, more perfect, more memorable.

I can't even imagine what a "greater" moment in UFC would be. Even a 3 second KO surely would lack some other aspects, the buildup, the trash talk, how the KO'd fighter fell, who the winning fighter was, who the KO'd fighter was, the celebration, etc. I don't know if there'll ever be a greater, more dominant moment ever again.

So yes, I think Jorge is Fighter of the Year and to me it's not even close. No disrespect to Israel, but there have been many Israels over the decades. There have been very, very few Jorges.

 

[A.S. Deep]

I think indisputably yes. It's similar to a Conor question and in assessing that type of stuff, we need to separate "greatest" from "best." So which is more important for "Fighter of the Year"? Personally, I think we should look at "greatest" as "best" potentially changes every card. Masvidal provided an easily top 3 greatest moment in UFC history. It will be remembered forever, even if Jorge goes on a 10 fight lose streak in random bum promotions. Askren also did his part to create that electrifying moment, by being Askren with his endless trash talk edited into KO clips across Youtube, by falling unconscious with one leg up in the air. It created the perfect storm for a "greatest" moment.

I remember thinking of many "greatest" moments in the two decades I've been watching UFC. But as the years go by, I forget my favorite ones until they show up in a highlight some years later. It's hard for me to even produce them in my head. One I can think of was watching Machida/Evans live and it felt like the greatest UFC moment ever. There have been tons of flashy, perfect KO's: Etim/Barboza comes to mind, but many start to fade away. But I will never for a second forget Masvidal's KO of Askren. Not just the technique, but the way Askren fell, his strange rigid position with a lifeless face, Masvidal tapping the ground along with the rest of his celebration, his hilarious interviews. Those moments are unforgettable. I probably watched it 100 times by now. The only one that comes close (for me) is Conor vs. Aldo. Similar buildup. Tons of hype and trash talk. But as dominant as Conor's 13 second KO was and how unbelievable it was at the time, somehow, SOMEHOW, Masvidal's was more dominant, more perfect, more memorable.

I can't even imagine what a "greater" moment in UFC would be. Even a 3 second KO surely would lack some other aspects, the buildup, the trash talk, how the KO'd fighter fell, who the winning fighter was, who the KO'd fighter was, the celebration, etc. I don't know if there'll ever be a greater, more dominant moment ever again.

So yes, I think Jorge is Fighter of the Year and to me it's not even close. No disrespect to Israel, but there have been many Israels over the decades. There have been very, very few Jorges.

Yep lol. That KO might be the funniest thing I'll ever see.

 

[CrimsonFan]

How can you be fighter of the year when you didn’t win a world title?

Just look at Jorge cause he is a lock

 

[CM punch]

I can't decide rather its Masvidal or Israel Adesanya for fighter of the year. Masvial capped it off with the BMF belt and became one of the most well liked fighters of the UFC in one year. Izzy definitely didn't become well liked but 3 wins similar to Masvidal and finshed it with a legit title in MW champion. Thoughts?

Maybe if the BMF title wasn’t a farce. And beating Nate Diaz wasn’t that big of a deal... he’s had a great year though

 

[C0NCH3TO]

Hands down.

 

[drbolony]

I'd say Izzy, but I'm extremely biased. I lay my case out though:
-Won the MW Championship
-Won the interim MW title
-FOTY contender(really winner imo)
-Finished a top 5 p4p fighter in a near flawless performance

Huge Jorge fan, but honestly, even Cejudo outdoes him if we're talking accolades. That said I prefer Jorge over Henry.

 

[daniel san]

Why are people hanging on Masvidal's nuts? His KO of Askren was amazing and the fight with Diaz, an unranked fighter that had been inactive for years was very good, but what has Masvidal accomplished? If we are talking abou rise in popularity, he is in the top, if we are talking about actual accomplishments Adesanya and Cejudo are leaps and bounds ahead of him.

 

[BrazilPitbullUS]

Why are people hanging on Masvidal's nuts? His KO of Askren was amazing and the fight with Diaz, an unranked fighter that had been inactive for years was very good, but what has Masvidal accomplished? If we are talking abou rise in popularity, he is in the top, if we are talking about actual accomplishments Adesanya and Cejudo are leaps and bounds ahead of him.

Why are people hanging on Masvidal's nuts? His KO of Askren was amazing and the fight with Diaz, an unranked fighter that had been inactive for years was very good, but what has Masvidal accomplished? If we are talking abou rise in popularity, he is in the top, if we are talking about actual accomplishments Adesanya and Cejudo are leaps and bounds ahead of him.

"You make valid points but my man StockyardStoic really said it all..
I think indisputably yes. It's similar to a Conor question and in assessing that type of stuff, we need to separate "greatest" from "best." So which is more important for "Fighter of the Year"? Personally, I think we should look at "greatest" as "best" potentially changes every card. Masvidal provided an easily top 3 greatest moment in UFC history. It will be remembered forever, even if Jorge goes on a 10 fight lose streak in random bum promotions. Askren also did his part to create that electrifying moment, by being Askren with his endless trash talk edited into KO clips across Youtube, by falling unconscious with one leg up in the air. It created the perfect storm for a "greatest" moment."

I remember thinking of many "greatest" moments in the two decades I've been watching UFC. But as the years go by, I forget my favorite ones until they show up in a highlight some years later. It's hard for me to even produce them in my head. One I can think of was watching Machida/Evans live and it felt like the greatest UFC moment ever. There have been tons of flashy, perfect KO's: Etim/Barboza comes to mind, but many start to fade away. But I will never for a second forget Masvidal's KO of Askren. Not just the technique, but the way Askren fell, his strange rigid position with a lifeless face, Masvidal tapping the ground along with the rest of his celebration, his hilarious interviews. Those moments are unforgettable. I probably watched it 100 times by now. The only one that comes close (for me) is Conor vs. Aldo. Similar buildup. Tons of hype and trash talk. But as dominant as Conor's 13 second KO was and how unbelievable it was at the time, somehow, SOMEHOW, Masvidal's was more dominant, more perfect, more memorable.

I can't even imagine what a "greater" moment in UFC would be. Even a 3 second KO surely would lack some other aspects, the buildup, the trash talk, how the KO'd fighter fell, who the winning fighter was, who the KO'd fighter was, the celebration, etc. I don't know if there'll ever be a greater, more dominant moment ever again.

So yes, I think Jorge is Fighter of the Year and to me it's not even close. No disrespect to Israel, but there have been many Israels over the decades. There have been very, very few Jorges.

 

[Fergelmince]

I can't decide rather its Masvidal or Israel Adesanya for fighter of the year. Masvial capped it off with the BMF belt and became one of the most well liked fighters of the UFC in one year. Izzy definitely didn't become well liked but 3 wins similar to Masvidal and finshed it with a legit title in MW champion. Thoughts?

Don't they give 2 awards? Masvidal could get Male fighter of the year, and Adesanya could get the other one.

 

[Megalodon]

A flyweight finishing Dillashaw and Moraes > Jorge beating Till, Askren and Nate.

 

[GSP_37]

Hard to say. Henry Cejudo deserves points for all those pro wrassling facial expressions.