Breaking: Dricus Du Plessis Wins Big At World MMA Awards

UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis was amongst the winners at the Fighters Only World Mixed Martial Arts Awards held at The Theater at the Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas on Thursday night.

The fighting pride of South Africa scooped the International Fighter of the Year award, beating out stiff competition in fellow UFC titleholders Ilia Topuria and Zhang Weili, as well as Jack Della Maddalena and Chihiro Suzuki.

The focus period spanned from July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024, during which Du Plessis ran through Robert Whittaker, defeating the former 185-pound king by second-round TKO at UFC 290 in Las Vegas, and became South Africa’s first UFC champion when he beat Sean Strickland by split decision at UFC 297 in Toronto.

“Stillknocks” was also nominated for the Charles Lewis Fighter of the Year award, which went to UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, and the Upset of the Year award, which went to Strickland for his title triumph over Israel Adesanya at UFC 293.

Du Plessis, who’s 8-0 in the UFC and 22-2 overall, is rumoured to be fighting Strickland in a rematch at UFC 312 in Sydney in February. However, no official announcement has been made.

The baddest man in Mzansi has lobbied to face Khamzat Chimaev instead after the boogeyman of the middleweight division’s vicious submission win over Whittaker in October. 

Meanwhile, UFC strawweight queen Zhang won the Female Fighter of the Year award, with UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall taking home both the Breakthrough Fighter of the Year and Comeback of the Year awards.

Max Holloway and Justin Gaethje’s epic battle for the BMF belt at UFC 300 was named Fight of the Year, with Holloway also claiming the Knockout of the Year honours for his unforgettable stoppage of “The Highlight.”

The Submission of the Year award went to Diego Lopes for his triangle armbar of Gavin Tucker at UFC Nashville, while UFC Hall of Famer Mark Coleman won the Lifetime Achievement award as well as the Fighting Spirit award for fearlessly rescuing his family and loved ones from a burning building.

Results

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)
Red Dela Cruz

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)