Press Release – Las Vegas, NV (USA) – Fighters Only, the world’s leading mixed martial arts (MMA) magazine, confirmed the launch of its fifth annual awards today. Devised to celebrate success and achievement within the MMA industry, the Fighters Only Awards give fans across the globe the opportunity to cast their vote on which athletes, brands and industry professionals have made the greatest impact on the sport over the previous 12 months.
(View the whole list of categories and nominees at the bottom)
Voting is now open across 22 award categories including: ‘Fight of the Year’, ‘Knockout of the Year’ and ‘Submission of the Year’ while an additional ‘Lifetime Achievement’ award will also be presented during the live ceremony to a surprise recipient.
With the voting website now live and already taking fans’ votes, this fifth Awards also witnesses another first in the illustrious history of mixed martial arts, with female fighting sensation Ronda Rousey capping a remarkable 12 months by being nominated in a record-breaking four categories. As well as ‘Female Fighter of the Year’, Rousey is shortlisted for ‘Breakthrough Fighter of the Year’, ‘Submission of the Year’ and for the annual leading award, the ‘Charles ‘Mask’ Lewis Fighter of the Year’.
And this year’s awards ceremony also sees the introduction of a brand-new award category – and one that is voted for entirely by MMA devotees. The ‘Fans’ Highlight Reel Moment of the Year’ award is 100% nomination based. No shortlists, no candidates, just an open invitation to those voting to select their personal highlight from 2012; whether it occurred inside or outside the ring.
“The last year has absolutely flown by but not without giving us 12 months’ worth of highlight-reel action, record-breaking achievements and emotional farewells,” says Rob Hewitt, President and CEO of Fighters Only. “We are back to celebrate them all in what will be yet another star-studded night of glamor and entertainment which will surpass everything we have ever done to date.”
The incredible success of the 2011 event saw a relative who’s who of MMA take to the red carpet. And the Fighters Only Awards is set to return even bigger and better this year with a live ceremony to be held in Las Vegas, with confirmation of date and venue coming soon.
This black-tie event will be sponsored by Bodybuilding.com, the internet’s most-visited health and fitness site and largest online retailer of nutritional supplements. Along with Sandee (a Fightshop.com brand) the manufacturer of the world’s toughest combat sports equipment and the second-oldest Muay Thai brand in the world, and Infinite Labs, one of the fastest-growing, research-based Sports Nutrition brands in the athletic industry.
The website www.WorldMMAAwards.com is now open and already taking votes, but in addition fans are also able to download a free iPhone application, which makes voting even easier and ensures we attract the maximum global response and the most accurate selection of winners.
For information on tickets to the live ceremony, sponsorship opportunities, and other essential information, please see below.
About Fighters Only:
Fighters Only was the world’s first mixed martial arts magazine and now produces domestic versions of its publication in the UK, US, Canada, Mexico, Germany and South Africa. The UK edition is nearing its eighth anniversary and outsells any other combat sports magazine in its sector, while also exporting copies into a further 32 countries worldwide.
In December 2009, Fighters Only held the sport’s first live ‘Oscars’-style awards ceremony at The Joint inside the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The show was aired live via the internet and then nationally on US and Canadian television by Versus and internationally in China, Brazil and on Scandinavian TV.
Fighters Only is also the publisher of the sport’s only MMA fitness magazine, Train Hard Fight Easy, which together with Fighters Only has its own iPad version available for download via iTunes.
About Bodybuilding.com:
Bodybuilding.com offers more than 8,000 health & fitness supplements and accessories to help over 7.3 million people every month achieve their health, fitness and appearance goals. This online powerhouse gives users more than 34,000 pages of FREE information, including more than 25,000 articles and 9,000 videos, expert online trainers and new content added daily.
Bodybuilding.com also provides the most hardcore MMA training programs, from nutrition and supplementation to tips from the most ripped and intense fighters on the mat. With live interviews, step-by-step videos, and all the tools you need for a competitive edge, it’s a one-stop shop for victorious domination.
About Sandee, a Fightshop.com Brand:
Sandee is one of the world’s oldest Muay Thai equipment brands, which has produced some of the toughest, most reliable and hard-wearing combat sports equipment available for over 35 years. All the Muay Thai equipment is handmade by skilled leatherworkers using only the best raw materials available.
Decades of experience goes into the manufacture of every piece of Sandee equipment making it the equipment of choice for some of mixed martial arts’ biggest names including Mike Bisping, Cheick Kongo and Ross Pearson. Fueled by recent significant growth, Sandee is now embarking on an accelerated international expansion plan of its current distribution network.
The Sandee brand is part of a UK-based organization, Fightshop.com. With its own e-commerce platform and distribution network around the UK and Europe, the company is the official distributor and licensee of some of MMA’s leading brands.
About Infinite Labs:
Infinite Labs is a diligent supplement company fully committed to the Infinite creed, ‘Innovation that exceeds expectation.’ With a presence in 35 countries and an expanding worldwide consumer base, Infinite Labs is evolving into one of the fastest-growing, research-based brands in the athletic industry. Infinite Labs reinvented itself in 2009 with the goal of generating formulas that are unique, advanced and cutting-edge while still providing unparalleled customer service.
The company prides itself in developing superior supplement lines that promote all types of fitness goals, including muscle gain, weight loss, performance enhancement and healthy lifestyle maintenance. With the addition of their High Performance Series, essentials, testosterone and MMA fighter’s line, Infinite Labs set itself apart by targeting every type of individual with the goal of advancing their quality of living.
CHARLES ‘MASK’ LEWIS FIGHTER OF THE YEAR
Benson Henderson
Daniel Cormier
Jon Jones
Nate Diaz
Ronda Rousey
FEMALE FIGHTER OF THE YEAR
Jessica Aguilar
Miesha Tate
Ronda Rousey
Sara McMann
Sarah Kaufman
BREAKTHROUGH FIGHTER OF THE YEAR
Chris Weidman
Luke Rockhold
Michael Chandler
Renan Barao
Ronda Rousey
INTERNATIONAL FIGHTER OF THE YEAR
Alexander Gustafsson
Chan Sung Jung
Martin Kampmann
Michael Bisping
Stefan Struve
FIGHT OF THE YEAR
Dan Henderson vs ‘Shogun’ Rua, UFC 139
Dustin Poirier vs Chan Sung Jung, UFC on Fuel TV 3
Jake Ellenberger vs Diego Sanchez, UFC on Fuel TV 1
Jamie Varner vs Joe Lauzon, UFC on Fox 4
Michael Chandler vs Eddie Alvarez, Bellator 58
KNOCKOUT OF THE YEAR
Adam Khaliev vs Alexei Belyaev, League S-70 1st Round
Anthony Pettis vs Joe Lauzon, UFC 144
Brian Rogers vs Vitor Vianna, Bellator 61
Edson Barboza vs Terry Etim, UFC 142
Stephen Thompson vs Dan Stittgen, UFC 143
SUBMISSION OF THE YEAR
Chan Sung Jung vs Dustin Poirier, UFC on Fuel TV 3
Charles Oliveira vs Eric Wisely, UFC on Fox 2
Frank Mir vs ‘Minotauro’ Nogueira, UFC 140
Ronda Rousey vs Miesha Tate, Strikeforce: Tate vs Rousey
Rousimar Palhares vs Mike Massenzio, UFC 142
COMEBACK OF THE YEAR
Alan Belcher (career)
Frank Mir vs ‘Minotauro’ Nogueira, UFC 140
Mike Swick (career)
JP Joubert vs Norman Wessels, EFC Africa 15
Tim Boetsch vs Yushin Okami, UFC 144
SHAWN TOMPKINS COACH OF THE YEAR
Andre Pederneiras
Cesar Gracie
Greg Jackson
Javier Mendez
Rafael Cordeiro
LEADING MAN OF THE YEAR
Bjorn Rebney
Dana White
Lorenzo Fertitta
Shannon Knapp
Victor Cui
BEST PROMOTION
Bellator FC
Invicta FC
One FC
Strikeforce
UFC
GYM OF THE YEAR
American Kickboxing Academy
Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
Kings MMA
Nova Uniao
Jackson-Winkeljohn MMA
PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Bas Rutten
Bruce Buffer
Joe Rogan
Jon Anik
Mauro Ranallo
REFEREE OF THE YEAR
Herb Dean
John McCarthy
Josh Rosenthal
Marc Goddard
Mario Yamasaki
RINGCARD GIRL OF THE YEAR
Arianny Celeste
Brittney Palmer
Jade Bryce
Kelli Hutcherson
Mercedes Terrell
BEST LIFESTYLE CLOTHING BRAND
Bad Boy
Dethrone
Headrush
Punishment
TapouT
BEST TECHNICAL CLOTHING BRAND
Bad Boy
Hayabusa
Jaco
Clinch Gear
Venum
BEST TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT
Everlast
Fairtex
Hayabusa
Pretorian
Venum
MEDIA SOURCE OF THE YEAR
ESPN
Inside MMA
MMA Fighting
MMA Junkie
Sherdog
JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Ariel Helwani
Ben Fowlkes
Gareth A Davies
John Morgan
Karyn Bryant