- Joined
- Jun 13, 2009
- Messages
- 46,110
- Reaction score
- 102,827
Fight of the Year
Its been a years of up and downs for the UFC. We saw long time champions dethroned, while new champions emerged. We saw long time rivalries put to bed. We saw new contenders burst onto the scene, and long time vets depart the sport forever. When all is said and done, only one fighter can be the Sherdog 2022 Fighter of the Year.
Sergei Pavlovich: 3-0 in 2022, with three first round KO's, 2 of which are over top 5 competition. Pavlovich steamrolled into the HW scene this year. Sergei got matched up with the "swang and bang" fighters of HW, from Derrick Lewis, to Tai Tuivasa, Pavlovich has dispatched all of his opponents in dominant fashion. Each time he's stepped into the octagon this year, he's put the entire division on notice and left fans with their jaws dropped. Its easy to understand why many of you will select him as your 2022 fighter of the year.
Alex Pereira: Alex burst onto the scene this year, climbing from being completely unranked, to holding a title in just 3 fights. Alex has wins over Bruno Silva, Sean Strickland and former champion Israel Adesanya this year. While he may not have won every fight in the most dominant fashion compared to others on this list, the feat of getting his hands on a title so quickly against such a dominant champion considering how long he's been practicing MMA is no easy feat.
Alexander Volkanovski: The way Volkanovski has been destroying his competition, it shouldn't be any surprise to see him on this list. Volk cemented his rights to the 145 belt by beating 145 former Champion Max Holloway, and he dominated Chang Sun Jung in a dominant 4 round display. All of this was capped off by the announcement that he will be pursuing the 155 belt, which is (by many) considered the most competitive division in the UFC.
Islam Makhachev: 2-0 in 2022 with wins over Bobby Green, and his successful title fight against Charles Oliveira. This one shouldn't need much explanation. Charles Oliveira seemed unstoppable and was snatching arms, necks, and legs left and right. He was 11-0 with wins over LW contenders Poirer and Gaethje, and Islam dominated the fight, and submitted the 155 champion, and holder of most submissions in the history of the division in the second round with an arm triangle choke. While many will argue a win over Bobby Green isn't exactly the kind of beef we want on a resume from a fighter of the year, its indisputable that a 2nd round submission win over Oliveira is the single most impressive win out of all the candidates on this list.
Larissa Pacheco: 4-0 in the PFL for 2022, and won the $1 million cash prize by beating the poster lady of the PFL, Kayla Harrison. Pacheco avenged her 2019 loss to Harrison which was the perfect exclamation point to her dominant run in the PFL. it can't be ignored that she finished three fights in the first round via tko before running into Harrison and claiming the PFL title via decision in November.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71688197/1245104315.0.jpg)
Without further delay, the polls are opened. Thanks to all my buds here on sherdog for a fabulous year.
Sergei Pavlovich: 3-0 in 2022, with three first round KO's, 2 of which are over top 5 competition. Pavlovich steamrolled into the HW scene this year. Sergei got matched up with the "swang and bang" fighters of HW, from Derrick Lewis, to Tai Tuivasa, Pavlovich has dispatched all of his opponents in dominant fashion. Each time he's stepped into the octagon this year, he's put the entire division on notice and left fans with their jaws dropped. Its easy to understand why many of you will select him as your 2022 fighter of the year.
Alex Pereira: Alex burst onto the scene this year, climbing from being completely unranked, to holding a title in just 3 fights. Alex has wins over Bruno Silva, Sean Strickland and former champion Israel Adesanya this year. While he may not have won every fight in the most dominant fashion compared to others on this list, the feat of getting his hands on a title so quickly against such a dominant champion considering how long he's been practicing MMA is no easy feat.
Alexander Volkanovski: The way Volkanovski has been destroying his competition, it shouldn't be any surprise to see him on this list. Volk cemented his rights to the 145 belt by beating 145 former Champion Max Holloway, and he dominated Chang Sun Jung in a dominant 4 round display. All of this was capped off by the announcement that he will be pursuing the 155 belt, which is (by many) considered the most competitive division in the UFC.
Islam Makhachev: 2-0 in 2022 with wins over Bobby Green, and his successful title fight against Charles Oliveira. This one shouldn't need much explanation. Charles Oliveira seemed unstoppable and was snatching arms, necks, and legs left and right. He was 11-0 with wins over LW contenders Poirer and Gaethje, and Islam dominated the fight, and submitted the 155 champion, and holder of most submissions in the history of the division in the second round with an arm triangle choke. While many will argue a win over Bobby Green isn't exactly the kind of beef we want on a resume from a fighter of the year, its indisputable that a 2nd round submission win over Oliveira is the single most impressive win out of all the candidates on this list.
Larissa Pacheco: 4-0 in the PFL for 2022, and won the $1 million cash prize by beating the poster lady of the PFL, Kayla Harrison. Pacheco avenged her 2019 loss to Harrison which was the perfect exclamation point to her dominant run in the PFL. it can't be ignored that she finished three fights in the first round via tko before running into Harrison and claiming the PFL title via decision in November.
Without further delay, the polls are opened. Thanks to all my buds here on sherdog for a fabulous year.
Last edited:
