The 2022 Heavies' Awards - Breakthrough Fighter of the Year Winner: Alex Pereira

2022 Breakthrough Fighter of the Year

  • Total voters
    120
  • Poll closed .
VOTE for Dreyga2000 said:
Rigged.

Such terrible choices. How does Pereira and Jiri count when they broke through last year??

If that’s the case where is Leon Edwards.

At the beginning of this year he was a laughing stick now he’s one of the most respected guys on the roster THAT’S BREAKING THROUGH.

Where’s Bo Nikal?
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Jiri may have broke through last year, but Alex was definitely this year.

And Leon didn't breakthrough this year. The UFC simply gave him his well deserved title shot and he took full advantage.

And where is Bo Nikal? Thats a good question. Beat a couple of scrubs on the contender series but can't seem to make it to the big show. More like broke down fighter of the year.
 
I would have voted for Jack Della as I'm not sure this was really Poatan's breakout year as such but he's not on the poll so I voted Poatan.
 
Jackonfire said:
Jiri may have broke through last year, but Alex was definitely this year.

And Leon didn't breakthrough this year. The UFC simply gave him his well deserved title shot and he took full advantage.

And where is Bo Nikal? Thats a good question. Beat a couple of scrubs on the contender series but can't seem to make it to the big show. More like broke down fighter of the year.
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What is your definition of “breaking through”?
 
Jackonfire said:
Its more a state of mind. You either feel it or you don't. If you don't understand it, I can't explain it to you. You either get it or you don't.
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That doesn’t help because I feel like this was the year the Leon broke through and that he clearly should be the winner but without definitions it’s hard to muse arguments for it against
 
VOTE for Dreyga2000 said:
That doesn’t help because I feel like this was the year the Leon broke through and that he clearly should be the winner but without definitions it’s hard to muse arguments for it against
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I think breakthrough meant a "sudden" and "out of nowhere" impact from an obscure/relatively unknown fighter this year.

Leon has been around for a long time. People knew who he is already. They know he already lost to Usman and they're really just waiting to see his turn for the title shot, so his arrival isn't really a sudden thing, though that come from behind win was a shocker and I can see your point of him finally breaking through. But that Usman rematch was like 7 years in the making. He fought just 2 times in the 2 years prior to 2022 with one going to a NC and one where he almost got KO'd by Nate (which is unfortunate coz he dominated the fight up to that point).. ..compared to Jiri who went from being an unheard-of fighter (to most casuals) during the time of quarantine to winning the title in just 3 UFC fights.

And Pereira winning his UFC debut and winning the undisputed MW belt in just the span of 1 year and 6 days (in just 4 fights) is just unbelievable and that feat is out of nowhere. He's the perfect example for this category
 
VOTE for Dreyga2000 said:
What is your definition of “breaking through”?
Click to expand...

From Sherdog's front page article on breakthrough fighter of the year:

"Every year, we see a handful of fighters who seem to come from out of nowhere, breaking through to new competitive heights and fame. Whether they take the form of a little-heralded prospect rocketing to stardom, as Ciryl Gane did last year, or a well-known veteran who manages a shocking mid-career reinvention, like 2019 winner Jorge Masvidal, those breakthroughs are a reminder of the wonderful unpredictability of mixed martial arts, a challenge to our assumptions as fans and an inspiration to the next year’s crop of would-be superstars."
 
giovanni_ss said:
I think breakthrough meant a "sudden" and "out of nowhere" impact from an obscure/relatively unknown fighter this year.

Leon has been around for a long time. People knew who he is already. They know he already lost to Usman and they're really just waiting to see his turn for the title shot, so his arrival isn't really a sudden thing, though that come from behind win was a shocker and I can see your point of him finally breaking through. But that Usman rematch was like 7 years in the making. He fought just 2 times in the 2 years prior to 2022 with one going to a NC and one where he almost got KO'd by Nate (which is unfortunate coz he dominated the fight up to that point).. ..compared to Jiri who went from being an unheard-of fighter (to most casuals) during the time of quarantine to winning the title in just 3 UFC fights.

And Pereira winning his UFC debut and winning the undisputed MW belt in just the span of 1 year and 6 days (in just 4 fights) is just unbelievable and that feat is out of nowhere. He's the perfect example for this category
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Pereira isn’t unbelievable he was literally hired for the sole reason of fight Isreal. It was the only reason he was hired. He can intobge organization with shit tons of HYPE. Check Sherdog rankings game tons of people predicted he’d be champ by the end of the year

Jackonfire said:
From Sherdog's front page article on breakthrough fighter of the year:

"Every year, we see a handful of fighters who seem to come from out of nowhere, breaking through to new competitive heights and fame. Whether they take the form of a little-heralded prospect rocketing to stardom, as Ciryl Gane did last year, or a well-known veteran who manages a shocking mid-career reinvention, like 2019 winner Jorge Masvidal, those breakthroughs are a reminder of the wonderful unpredictability of mixed martial arts, a challenge to our assumptions as fans and an inspiration to the next year’s crop of would-be superstars."
Click to expand...

If you go by this definition Leon qualifies. The man was literally a laughing stock among the fans. Many argued he didn’t deserve a title shot, that he was boring, had ZERO personality, or a just plain written him off hen out of nowhere he becomes this media darling gives the best speech of the year after KO of the year

Leon clearly reinvented his entire career in one brilliant moment.

It’s insulting that he wasn’t even nominated
 
VOTE for Dreyga2000 said:
Pereira isn’t unbelievable he was literally hired for the sole reason of fight Isreal. It was the only reason he was hired. He can intobge organization with shit tons of HYPE. Check Sherdog rankings game tons of people predicted he’d be champ by the end of the year



If you go by this definition Leon qualifies. The man was literally a laughing stock among the fans. Many argued he didn’t deserve a title shot, that he was boring, had ZERO personality, or a just plain written him off hen out of nowhere he becomes this media darling gives the best speech of the year after KO of the year

Leon clearly reinvented his entire career in one brilliant moment.

It’s insulting that he wasn’t even nominated
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But he was nominated under "other" right there in the poll options.
 
I dont think anyone is beating Poatan. Too spectacular of an impact compared to the others.
 
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