(Photo courtesy of Fighters Only)
Friday night The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada played host to the fifth annual Fighters Only MMA Awards. The awards focused on the best the world of mixed martial arts had to offer during the entire 2012 calendar year, with the 21 categories honoring fighters, media organizations, apparel companies, technical equipment, and much more. The winners though were determined by fan votes. Check out the full list of 2012 World MMA Awards below, and tune in to Fox Sports Net on January 20 to catch the ceremony broadcast.
Charles “Mask” Lewis Fighter of the Year
Daniel Cormier
Nate Diaz
Benson Henderson
Jon Jones
Ronda Rousey
WINNER: JON JONES
Female Fighter of the Year
Jessica Aguilar
Sarah Kaufman
Sara McMann
Ronda Rousey
Miesha Tate WINNER: RONDA ROUSEY
Breakthrough Fighter of the Year
Renan Barao
Michael Chandler
Luke Rockhold
Ronda Rousey
Chris Weidman
WINNER: CHRIS WEIDMAN
International Fighter of the Year
Michael Bisping
Alexander Gustafsson
Chan Sung Jung
Martin Kampmann
Stefan Struve
WINNER: MICHAEL BISPING
Fight of the Year
Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (UFC 139)
Michael Chandler vs. Eddie Alvarez (Bellator 58)
Jake Ellenberger vs. Diego Sanchez (UFC on FUEL TV 1)
Dustin Poirier vs. Chan Sung Jung (UFC on FUEL TV 3)
Jamie Varner vs. Joe Lauzon (UFC on FOX 4)
WINNER: JAMIE VARNER VS. JOE LAUZON (UFC on FOX 4)
Knockout of the Year
Adam Khaliev vs. Alexei Belyaev (League S-70)
Edson Barboza vs. Terry Etim (UFC 142)
tephen Thompson vs. Dan Stittgen (UFC 143)
Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon (UFC 144)
Brian Rogers vs. Vitor Vianna (Bellator 61)
WINNER: EDSON BARBOZA VS. TERRY ETIM (UFC 143)
Submission of the Year
Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (UFC 140)
Charles Oliveira vs. Eric Wisely (UFC on FOX 2)
Rousimar Palhares vs. Mike Massenzio (UFC 142)
Ronda Rousey vs. Miesha Tate (Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey)
Chan Sung Jung vs. Dustin Poirier (UFC on FUEL TV 3)
WINNER: FRANK MIR VS. ANTONIO RODRIGO NOGUEIRA (UFC 140)
Comeback of the Year
Alan Belcher (career)
Mike Swick (career)
Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (UFC 140)
Tim Boetsch vs. Yushin Okami (UFC 144)
JP Joubert vs. Norman Wessels (EFC Africa 15)
WINNER: FRANK MIR VS. ANTONIO RODRIGO NOGUEIRA (UFC 140)
Shawn Tompkins Coach of the Year
Rafael Cordeiro
Cesar Gracie
Greg Jackson
Javier Mendez
Andre Pederneiras
WINNER: RAFAEL CORDEIRO
Gym of the Year
American Kickboxing Academy
Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
Jackson-Winkeljohn MMA
Kings MMA
Nova Uniao
WINNER: CESAR GRACIE JIU-JITSU
Referee of the Year
Herb Dean
Marc Goddard
John McCarthy
Josh Rosenthal
Mario Yamasaki
WINNER: HERB DEAN
Ring Card Girl of the Year
Jade Bryce
Arianny Celeste
Kelli Hutcherson
Brittney Palmer
Mercedes Terrell
WINNER: BRITTNEY PALMER
Leading Man of the Year
Victor Cui
Lorenzo Fertitta
Shannon Knapp
Bjorn Rebney
Dana White
WINNER: DANA WHITE
Personality of the Year
Jon Anik
Bruce Buffer
Mauro Ranallo
Joe Rogan
Bas Rutten
WINNER: JOE ROGAN
Best Promotion
Bellator
Invicta FC
ONE FC
Strikeforce
UFC
WINNER: UFC
Best Lifestyle Clothing Brand
Bad Boy
Dethrone
Headrush
Punishment
TapouT
WINNER: BAD BOY
Best Technical Clothing Brand
Bad Boy
Clinch Gear
Hayabusa
Jaco
Venum
WINNER: CLINCH GEAR
Best Technical Equipment
Everlast
Fairtex
Hayabusa
Pretorian
Venum
WINNER: PRETORIAN
MMA Media Source of the Year
MMAFighting.com
ESPN
“Inside MMA” on AXS TV
MMAjunkie.com
Sherdog.com
WINNER: SHERDOG.COM
MMA Journalist of the Year
Ariel Helwani, MMAFighting.com/FUEL TV
Karyn Bryant, MMA HEAT/FUEL TV
Gareth A. Davies, The Telegraph
Ben Fowlkes, MMAjunkie.com/USA TODAY
John Morgan, MMAjunkie.com/USA TODAY
WINNER: ARIEL HELWANI, MMAFIGHTING.COM/FUEL TV
Lifetime Achievement Award
Leon Tabbs
