The latest news from the MMA world is in! The World MMA Awards 2024 results have been announced, and the event took place at The Theater at the Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas, Nevada on Thursday.
Renowned UFC veteran Chael Sonnen had the honor of hosting the event. MMA Fighting, a leading media source in the MMA industry, has been nominated for the prestigious MMA Media Source of the Year award. The outlet has an impressive track record, having won this award five times in the past.
Fans can catch the World MMA Awards ceremony on ESPN+ at 11 p.m. Eastern Time.
The 16th Annual Fighters Only nominees, spanning from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, have been revealed below. The winners are highlighted in bold.
For a recap of the World MMA Awards 2004 results, scroll down below.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Mark Coleman (Winner)
Charles Lewis Fighter of the Year
Alex Pereira (Winner)
Alexandre Pantoja
Dricus du Plessis
Islam Makhachev
Renan Ferreira
Female Fighter of the Year
Kayla Harrison
Larissa Pacheco
Liz Carmouche
Raquel Pennington
Zhang Weili – (Winner)
Breakthrough Fighter of the Year
Anatoly Malykhin
Benoit Saint Denis
Diego Lopes
Ian Machado Garry
Tom Aspinall – (Winner)
International Fighter of the Year
Chihiro Suzuki
Dricus du Plessis (winner)
Ilia Topuria
Jack Della Maddalena
Zhang Weili
Fight of the Year
Alexandre Pantoja vs. Brandon Moreno (UFC 290)
Clay Collard vs. Shane Burgos (PFL 9)
Dan Hooker vs. Jalin Turner (UFC 290)
Dustin Poirier vs. Benoit Saint Denis (UFC 299)
Max Holloway vs. Justin Gaethje (UFC 300) – (Winner)
Knockout of the Year
Josh Emmett vs. Bryce Mitchell – Overhand Right (UFC 296)
Justin Gaethje vs. Dustin Poirier – Head Kick (UFC 291)
Levy Carriel vs. Mathieu Rakotondrazanany – Head Kick (Brave CF 74)
Max Holloway vs. Justin Gaethje – Overhand Right (UFC 300) (winner)
Vinicius Oliveira vs. Bernardo Sopaj – Flying Knee (UFC Vegas 87)
Submission of the Year
Alexander Volkov vs. Tai Tuivasa – Ezekiel Choke (UFC 293)
Brian Ortega vs. Yair Rodriguez – Arm-Triangle Choke (UFC Mexico City)
Da’Mon Blackshear vs. Jose Johnson – Twister (UFC Vegas 78)
Diego Lopes vs. Gavin Tucker – Triangle Armbar (UFC Nashvillle) – Winner
Islam Makhachev vs. Dustin Poirier – D’Arce Choke (UFC 302)
Comeback of the Year
Brian Ortega vs. Yair Rodriguez (UFC Mexico City)
Elves Brener vs. Guram Kutateladze (UFC Vegas 76)
Jose Aldo (career)
Rodolfo Bellato vs. Ihor Potieria (UFC Austin)
Tom Aspinall (career) (winner)
Upset of the Year
Dricus du Plessis vs. Robert Whittaker (UFC 290)
Jason Jackson vs. Yaroslav Amosov (Bellator 301)
Neil Magny vs. Mike Malott (UFC 297)
Ovince Saint Preux vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu (UFC Vegas 88)
Sean Strickland vs. Israel Adesanya (UFC 293) – (Winner)
Commentator of the Year
Brendan Fitzgerald
John Gooden
Jon Anik (winner)
Laura Sanko
Sean O’Connell
Analyst of the Year
Dan Hardy
Din Thomas
Michael Bisping (winner)
Paul Felder
Sayif Saud
Shawn Tompkins Coach of the Year
Eric Nicksick
Francisco Grasso
Marcos ‘Parrumpa’ DaMatta
Plinio Cruz (winner)
Tim Welch
Trainer of the Year
Everton Oliveira
Heather Linden
Ian Larios (winner)
Jordan Sullivan
Phil Daru
Gym of the Year
American Kickboxing Academy
American Top Team
Lobo Gym
The Fighting Nerds – Winner
Xtreme Couture
Referee of the Year
Marc Goddard
Jason Herzog
Mark Smith
Herb Dean – (Winner)
Keith Peterson
Ringcard Girl of the Year
Holly Barker
Brookliyn Wren
Kasia Motloch Kejsi
Luciana Andrade – (Winner)
Leading Man
Dana White (UFC) – (Winner)
Ed Soares (LFA)
Graham Borlan (Cage Warriors)
Martin Lewandowski (KSW)
Peter Murray (PFL)
Best Promotion
UFC – (Winner)
Oktagon
LFA
KSW
PFL
Personality of the Year
Bruce Buffer
Chael Sonnen
Daniel Cormier
Nina-Marie Danielle (winner)
Joe Rogan
Best MMA Programming
Morning Kombat
The MMA Hour
Dana White’s Contender Series (winner)
The Anik & Florian Podcast
UFC Embedded
MMA Media Source of the Year
MMA Fighting
Sherdog
MMA Junkie
ESPN (winner)
The Mac Life
MMA Journalist of the Year
Ariel Helwani (winner)
Aaron Bronsteter
Oscar Willis
Carlos Contreras Legaspi
Nolan King
Fighting Spirit Award
Gabriel Braga (Heart – strength to overcome the loss of his father and coach)
Leon Edwards (Composure – strength during disgusting mental antics by an opponent)
Jim Miller (Endurance – the only fighter to compete at UFC 100, UFC 200, and UFC 300)
Mark Coleman (Bravery – fearlessly rescuing family and loved ones from a burning building) (winner)
Thomas Paull (Resilience – successfully competing in MMA despite being deaf)