We’re midway by way of the 2025 marketing campaign and whereas there’s been lots to gripe about on this planet of MMA, followers have additionally been given some unbelievable first-half highlights that we’ll nonetheless be buzzing about by yr’s finish.
Regardless of the PFL placing on a bunch of enjoyable playing cards, these mid-season awards are unsurprisingly dominated by UFC fighters. However who’re the present leaders of the pack? MMA Preventing’s Mike Heck, Jed Meshew, Damon Martin, and Alexander Okay. Lee make their picks for one of the best fighter, knockout, submission, and struggle of the yr up to now.
Greatest Fighter — Merab Dvalishvili is DOMINANT
It’s Merab Dvalishvili, girls and gents.
The bantamweight champion started the yr taking a matchup in opposition to the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov, the boogeyman of 135 kilos, a fighter some believed to be the uncrowned champion. Not solely did Dvalishvili beat him over the 5 rounds as an underdog, however “The Machine” additionally received a bonus for his participation within the Struggle of the Night time.
Dvalishvili may have stopped there and waited till late summer season or early fall to compete once more, however he ended up headlining UFC 316 lower than 5 months later in opposition to Sean O’Malley. This time, with no lingering points for O’Malley, “Sugar” was as sharp as he’s ever been heading right into a struggle, and Dvalishvili nonetheless ran him over earlier than getting the stoppage with a nasty choke in Spherical 3. 2-0, two title defenses in one of many hardest divisions within the sport, that will get you the nod in my e-book. — Heck
Honorable mentions: Waldo Cortes-Acosta, Magomed Ankalaev, Jack Della Maddalena, Kayla Harrison, Terrance McKinney, Jesus Pinedo, Gadzhi Rabadanov, Jean Silva, Ilia Topuria, Joshua Van
Greatest Knockout — Ilia Topuria SLEEPS Charles Oliveira at UFC 317
I’ve been a fan of MMA for a really very long time. Longer than I care to say at this level. And in over 20 years of watching the game, there are solely a handful of moments that actually transcend it, that sign a paradigm shift from a technique of issues to a different.
When Royce Gracie submitted Gerard Gordeau, it redefined what we knew about combating. When Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar went to conflict, you possibly can sense the game come out of the darkish ages and into the sunshine. And when Conor McGregor dummied Eddie Alvarez, you felt your entire sport jolt ahead like Dominic Toretto simply smashed the NOS button.
Ilia Topuria’s KO of Charles Oliveira kinda felt like that.
Not solely did Topuria turn out to be the tenth fighter to say a title in two weight lessons in UFC historical past, he grew to become the primary to take action whereas undefeated, and he’s nonetheless simply 28 years outdated. Other than the knockout being aesthetically stunning, it’s one that appears to be traditionally important—the official second that Topuria grew to become the face of MMA. — Meshew
Honorable mentions: Gregory Rodrigues KOs Jack Hermansson, Juan Archuleta flying knees Dennis Linton, Yoo Joo-Sang KOs Jeka Saragih, Randy Brown KOs Nicolas Dalby, Jaron Lathrop ninja kicks Yevgeni Shinkarevsky, Mauricio Ruffy spinning heel kicks Bobby Inexperienced
Greatest Submission — Kayla Harrison TAPS Julianna Peña at UFC 316
Magnitude issues relating to finishes in MMA, and a kimura might not be probably the most thrilling or not often seen submission, however Kayla Harrison delivering on her promise to dethrone Julianna Peña to turn out to be UFC champion was an image price a thousand phrases.
As a two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo, Harrison was already one of the vital achieved athletes to ever attempt MMA. Nonetheless, her final aim was profitable a UFC title and that lastly occurred at UFC 316 in June.
Harrison managed the struggle on floor for the higher a part of two rounds, however with time working out within the second, she latched on to Peña’s arm and instantly twisted it behind her again to lock on the submission. It was a tricky place with the fighters pressed up in opposition to the cage, however Harrison torqued the arm so violently that Peña had no alternative however to faucet out and he or she nonetheless ended up with a medical suspension requiring her to get clearance on a probably broken shoulder afterwards.
Harrison didn’t essentially present the flashiest submission win in historical past, however lastly claiming UFC gold whereas dispatching Peña in dominant style places her on the high of the listing for the primary half of 2025. — Martin
Honorable mentions: Jean Silva’s ninja choke over Bryce Mitchell, Mackenzie Dern with a last-second armbar to complete Amanda Ribas, and Sean Brady’s mounted guillotine choke to turn out to be the primary particular person to ever end Leon Edwards.
Greatest Struggle — Joshua Van and Brandon Royval go to WAR at UFC 317
Joshua Van wasn’t even purported to struggle at UFC 317, however when he stepped within the cage to sq. off with longtime flyweight contender Brandon Royval, it was just like the pairing was meant to be.
Royval’s trademark relentlessness meshed completely with Van’s youthful exuberance and the 2 proceeded to throw down for quarter-hour, figuring out {that a} championship alternative was probably on the road with Alexandre Pantoja scheduled to compete later that night. “Uncooked Dawg” gave Van every part he may deal with, daring the 23-year-old to match his ferocity. Van did so in spades and proved to be the extra correct fighter, too, particularly within the closing moments of the struggle when he scored a knockdown that sealed the win for him on the scorecards.
Afterwards, in some way Van wasn’t even respiratory heavy as he acknowledged his case to problem for the flyweight title to Joe Rogan. Van went to the again, cleaned up, and returned to the octagon to face off with Pantoja, who defended his belt with a one-sided drubbing Kai Kara-France. The second was the icing on the cake for what was already a star-making night for Van. — Lee
Honorable mentions: Nazim Sadykhov vs. Nikolas Motta (UFC Baku), Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Paul Hughes (PFL Dubai), Jiri Prochazka vs. Jamahal Hill (UFC 311), Merab Dvalishvili vs. Umar Nurmagomedov (UFC 311)
