Two male fighters stood out above the rest in 2024, but the final choice for MMA Junkie’s Male Fighter of the Year was Ilia Topuria.
The UFC featherweight champion had a year for the ages. Topuria began his year by knocking out Alexander Volkanovski in February at UFC 298 to claim the title. Then, in October at UFC 308, he knocked out Max Holloway to record his first title defense.
Finishing two GOATs in a calendar year is a tough feat to beat.
However, the year of the UFC light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira was just as impressive.
“Poatan” recorded three title defenses in 2024. He stopped every opponent, finishing a pair of former champs in Jamahal Hill and Jiri Prochazka, and took out a hungry contender in Khalil Rountree Jr.
Which fighter deserved the award more?
MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn, Matthew Wells, Dan Tom, and host Danny Segura discuss their picks for Male Fighter of the Year.
Watch their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube.
