World MMA Awards 2023 Nominees, Results and Where to Watch

Discover the standout moments and celebrated winners of the World MMA Awards 2023. Watch the event on ESPN+ as fighters, journalists, and personalities are honored for their contributions to mixed martial arts.

by Tamilarasi S | Updated Dec 15, 2023

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World MMA Awards

The World MMA Awards, hosted by Fighters Only magazine, celebrate outstanding achievements in mixed martial arts (MMA). These awards, initiated in 2008, acknowledge excellence in over twenty categories, ranging from Fighter of the Year to Best Knockout. Winners are honored with the coveted Fighters Only silver statuette. What sets these awards apart is that the winners are chosen through online fan voting, making it a unique celebration where the MMA community's voice is heard.

With its inception, the World MMA Awards quickly became the most prestigious event in the MMA world, recognizing the hard work and skill of athletes and contributors. It's a yearly opportunity for fans to participate in recognizing and celebrating the best in the dynamic and ever-evolving world of mixed martial arts.

World MMA Awards 2023

The World MMA Awards 2023 results were eagerly anticipated and were officially announced on Thursday night. Hosted at the Sahara Theatre in Las Vegas, the awards ceremony was featured on ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET. MMA Fighting, a prominent media source, had been nominated for MMA Media Source of the Year, a category they had previously won five times.

Renowned journalist Ariel Helwani, with 13 wins under his belt, was nominated for MMA Journalist of the Year. Additionally, his popular program, The MMA Hour, received a nomination for Best MMA Programming. The event recognized outstanding contributions in over twenty categories, showcasing the best in the dynamic world of mixed martial arts.

Stay informed and up-to-date with the latest news and developments by turning to Fresherslive’s current news articles. Our platform is designed to help you broaden your horizons and gain valuable insights.

World MMA Awards 2023 Results

Category Winner
Fighter of the Year Leon Edwards
Female Fighter of the Year Alexa Grasso
Breakthrough Fighter of the Year Alex Pereira
International Fighter of the Year Leon Edwards
Fight of the Year Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski (UFC 284)
Knockout of the Year Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman - Head kick (UFC 278)
Submission of the Year Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko - Face crank (UFC 285)
Comeback of the Year Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman 2 (UFC 278)
Upset of the Year Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko (UFC 285)
Shawn Tompkins Coach of the Year Mike Brown
Trainer of the Year Heather Linden
Gym of the Year American Top Team
Referee of the Year Herb Dean
Ringcard Girl of the Year Brittney Palmer
Leading Man Dana White (UFC)
Best Promotion UFC
Personality of the Year Joe Rogan
Analyst of the Year Michael Bisping
Best MMA Programming Dana White’s Contender Series
MMA Media Source of the Year ESPN
MMA Journalist of the Year Ariel Helwani
Fighting Spirit Award Themba Gorimbo
Lifetime Achievement Award Ken Shamrock

World MMA Awards Nominee

Fighter of the Year

  • Leon Edwards
  • Aljamain Sterling
  • Israel Adesanya
  • Islam Makhachev
  • Sadibou Sy

Female Fighter of the Year

  • Alexa Grasso
  • Amanda Nunes
  • Larissa Pacheco
  • Seika Izawa
  • Liz Carmouche

Breakthrough Fighter of the Year

  • Dricus Du Plessis
  • Alex Pereira
  • Ilia Topuria
  • Sergei Pavlovich
  • Alexa Grasso

International Fighter of the Year

  • Leon Edwards
  • Israel Adesanya
  • Dricus Du Plessis
  • Sergei Pavlovich
  • Sadibou Sy

Fight of the Year

  • Justin Gaethje vs. Rafael Fiziev (UFC 286)
  • Dustin Poirier vs. Michael Chandler (UFC 281)
  • Islam Makhachev vs. Alexander Volkanovski (UFC 284)
  • Brennan Ward vs. Sabah Homasi (Bellator 290)
  • Matt Schnell vs. Su Mudaerji (UFC on ABC 3)

Knockout of the Year

  • Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman - Head kick (UFC 278)
  • Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira - Punches (UFC 287)
  • Sadibou Sy vs. Shane Mitchell - Spinning wheel kick (PFL 6, 2023)
  • Krzysztof Głowacki vs. Patryk Tołkaczewski - Punch (KSW Colosseum 2)
  • Ismael Bonfim vs. Terrance McKinney - Flying knee (UFC 283)

Submission of the Year

  • Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko - Face crank (UFC 285)
  • Louis Glismann vs. Melvin van Suijdam - Inverted omoplata (Oktagon 43)
  • Islam Makhachev vs. Charles Oliveira - Arm-triangle choke (UFC 280)
  • Olga Rubin vs. Claire Guthrie - Buggy choke (Invicta FC 53)
  • Reinier de Ridder vs. Vitaly Bigdash - Inverted triangle choke (ONE 159)

Comeback of the Year

  • Jon Jones (Career)
  • Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman 2 (UFC 278)
  • John Hathaway (Returning from lengthy illness)
  • Matt Schnell vs. Su Mudaerji (UFC on ABC 3)
  • Yaroslav Amosov (Returning from war)

Upset of the Year

  • Alexa Grasso vs. Valentina Shevchenko (UFC 285)
  • Larissa Pacheco vs. Kayla Harrison (PFL 10, 2022)
  • Christian Echols vs. Pat Downey (Bellator 289)
  • Jesus Pinedo vs. Brendan Loughnane (PFL 4, 2023)
  • Zebaztian Kadestam vs. Roberto Soldic (ONE Fight Night 10)

Shawn Tompkins Coach of the Year

  • Eugene Bareman
  • Mike Brown
  • Dave Lovell
  • Ray Longo
  • Eric Nicksick

Trainer of the Year

  • Heather Linden
  • Jonathon Reynolds
  • Everton Oliveira
  • Jordan Sullivan
  • Brandon Gallagher

Gym of the Year

  • City Kickboxing
  • American Top Team
  • Team Renegade
  • Kill Cliff FC
  • American Kickboxing Academy

Referee of the Year

  • Marc Goddard
  • Jason Herzog
  • Mark Smith
  • Herb Dean
  • Rich Mitchell

Ringcard Girl of the Year

  • Brittney Palmer
  • Louise McKie
  • Brookliyn Wren
  • Jhenny Andrade
  • Luciana Andrade

Leading Man

  • Dana White (UFC)
  • Scott Coker (Bellator)
  • Peter Murray (PFL)
  • Maciej Kawulski (KSW)
  • Ondrej Novotny (Oktagon)

Best Promotion

  • UFC
  • Bellator MMA
  • PFL
  • KSW
  • Oktagon MMA

Personality of the Year

  • Joe Rogan
  • Laura Sanko
  • Chael Sonnen
  • Daniel Cormier
  • Jon Anik

Analyst of the Year

  • Michael Bisping
  • Paul Felder
  • Dan Hardy
  • Anthony Smith
  • Kenny Florian

Best MMA Programming

  • Morning Kombat
  • The MMA Hour
  • Dana White’s Contender Series
  • The Anik & Florian Podcast
  • UFC Embedded

MMA Media Source of the Year

  • MMA Fighting
  • Sherdog
  • MMA Junkie
  • ESPN
  • Bloody Elbow

MMA Journalist of the Year

  • Ariel Helwani
  • Aaron Bronsteter
  • Marc Raimondi
  • John Morgan
  • Nolan King

Fighting Spirit Award

  • Yaroslav Amosov (Adversity – returning from war to unify the Bellator welterweight title)
  • Steven Ray (Strength – fighting for his family)
  • Biaggio Ali Walsh (Bravery – helping his community in the face of danger)
  • Themba Gorimbo (Charity – building a water pump in Zimbabwe and putting others ahead of himself)
  • Chris Barnett (Adversity – overcoming great personal loss and adversity in the cage)

Lifetime Achievement Award

  • Ken Shamrock

World MMA Awards Live Blog

Where to Watch the MMA Awards 2023?

To watch the MMA Awards 2023, you can tune in to ESPN+ on the designated night. The awards ceremony took place at the Sahara Theatre in Las Vegas, and the broadcast was available on ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET. ESPN+ is a streaming service where you can catch live events, exclusive shows, and sports content, including the prestigious World MMA Awards.

Ensure you have access to ESPN+ through a subscription or the required streaming platform. Watching the awards allows fans to celebrate the achievements of their favorite fighters, journalists, and personalities in the mixed martial arts world. It's an opportunity to witness the recognition of standout performances and memorable moments in the dynamic and evolving sport of MMA.

Disclaimer: The above information is for general informational purposes only. All information on the Site is provided in good faith, however we make no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability or completeness of any information on the Site.

World MMA Awards 2023- FAQs

1. What are the World MMA Awards?                      

The World MMA Awards are honors given to outstanding performers in mixed martial arts, celebrated annually by Fighters Only magazine.

2.   How are the winners determined?        

Winners are chosen through online fan voting, allowing the MMA community to have a say in recognizing excellence in various categories.

3. When did the World MMA Awards start?        

The first World MMA Awards ceremony was held in 2008, establishing itself as a prestigious event in the MMA world.

4. Where was the World MMA Awards 2023 held?        

The World MMA Awards 2023 took place at the Sahara Theatre in Las Vegas.

5. How can I watch the World MMA Awards 2023?        

The awards ceremony was featured on ESPN+ at 10:30 p.m. ET, providing a platform for fans to witness the acknowledgment of top achievements in MMA.