MMAmania’s 10 Most Popular Articles Of 2022 — Pt. 2 | UFC Betting Sites

Jake Paul v Andre August — Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images

What storylines kept our readers engaged the most in 2023? Let’s recap the articles that drove massive amounts of traffic last year!

Happy New Year, Maniacs!

As part of our yearly wind down here at MMAmania.com, it’s time to continue recapping our most popular stories of the year. Are these stories indicative of overall trends? Do they accurately depict the truly biggest story lines of the year? Not particularly! But, it’s a fun capture of the random nature of popular stories, as well as a nice recap of … different stories from 2023. It’s also the Jesse Holland show, as our resident headline master once again convinced millions of people to click, dominating the yearly Top 10.

If you missed part one, check that out right HERE! Otherwise, strap in for our five most popular articles of 2023 …

Number 5: Julianna Pena suffers broken back carrying Amanda Nunes fight to UFC 289

Writer: Jesse Holland
Summary: Pena claims she’s doing all the promotion for a fight that never ended up happening
Why It Blew Up: I fully credit this one as a masterful JH headline. I cannot read it without giggling. At the same time, if someone were to glance over the headline quickly and misread it as an injury post, well, the post requires further investigation!

Number 4: ‘Mars’ stars stunned as Ronda Rousey drops, tops NFL legend Marshawn Lynch (Video)

Writer: Jesse Holland
Summary: Ronda Rousey armbarred Marshawn Lynch on a weird reality TV show.
Why It Blew Up: Rousey is one of the biggest stars in UFC history. The better part of a decade into retirement, posts about her professional wrestling matches or UFC 300 rumors still tend to do quite well. In addition, there’s few things the internet loves more than debating male vs. female athletics, and Lynch is a star in more ways than one. That’s a hot pot built for success!

Number 3: Dana White removed as UFC President following WWE merger

Writer: Jesse Holland
Summary: UFC President no longer, Uncle Dana is now CEO!
Why It Blew Up: My personal rule: it’s only clickbait if it’s a lie. Otherwise, it’s just engaging headline writing. Like it or not, Dana White is one of the biggest names in combat sports, so this one surely brought in crowds of bloodthirsty Dana haters ready to revel in his assumed sacking, as well as a legion of unhinged Dana lovers outraged that their bossman could be replaced.

If this headline pisses you off, consider the simple fact that popular Holland hitters like this subsidize the technical analysis of my fighter breakdowns. Add each and every one of those together — which take a considerable amount of time and effort, for the record — and the total sum of traffic would fail to touch this 286-word post. That’s the game!

Number 2: Jake Paul retires from boxing with loss to Nate Diaz, according to MVP cohort

Writer: Jesse Holland
Summary: Jake Paul puts his entire boxing career on the line (according to a business partner)
Why It Blew Up: Some people in combat sports love Jake Paul. A LOT of people in combat sports HATE Jake Paul. The polarizing figure is probably the best in the game at generating headlines, and apparently, his business partners understand how to play the game too. I doubt to an extreme degree that Paul would’ve retired if defeated, but we’ll never know …

Number 1: Jake Paul and Nate Diaz both suspended following Aug. 5 boxing match

Writer: Jesse Holland
Summary: Two of the biggest names in combat sports are medically suspended after their 10-round war
Why It Blew Up: Medical suspensions are standard fare in boxing and MMA. Nobody is fighting for 30 minutes without getting told to take it easy for a little while by the athletic commission. However, so many fans are so eager to see the downfall of Jake Paul that they see the simple word suspended and instantly assume the worst, and suddenly, a snowball effect of traffic rolls in.

Still hungry for click-worthy content? Take a look back at last year’s recap, which features The Mountain and knocked out mascots.

Until next year, Maniacs!