On Thursday, December 14, 2023, the MMA community abandoned their Venum fight attire and instead wore formal suits and gowns for the “15th Annual World MMA Awards” held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The awards event has evolved into a December tradition that ostensibly aims to commemorate excellence in mixed martial arts (MMA), with accolades bestowed to the top fighters, coaches, memorable moments, the octagon girls, and, of course, the fight of the year.
The UFC consistently achieves new levels of success each year, and 2023 has been no exception, showcasing an abundance of top-tier MMA.
As the year has swiftly passed, and with the official end-of-year awards behind us, we have decided to formulate our very own list of the most remarkable fights that made us want to start betting at the best UFC betting sites such as Heritage Sports (check our Heritage Sports Review).
Alexander Volkanovski vs. Islam Makhachev
UFC Lightweight Championship
Date & Event: UFC 284, February 2023
The official ‘Fight of the Year 2023’, as awarded this week during the World MMA Awards, involved an incredibly technical masterclass on the UFC 284 pay-per-view in Perth, Australia, between lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, and Aussie featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski, the latter who was vying for double-champ status.
The initial round was relatively tight, with Islam Makhachev concluding the session in a solid ground position and Alexander Volkanovski making inroads with his pinpoint striking. Volkanovski performed admirably in the subsequent two rounds, contested primarily on his feet, before Makhachev’s dominance in the fourth.
As we entered the final five, nobody knew who was winning. In the last minute in the round, ‘The Great’ got the better of the lightweight champion, following which the first four minutes were relatively close. Volkanovski seemed to have done enough as he pummelled Makhachev until the final bell, but the Russian warrior received the nod.
The MMA community was divided by the judge’s decision, with many advocating for a rematch. UFC 294 fulfilled the wishes of the supporters eight months later. Unfortunately for Volk, it wasn’t even close, as the Dagestani lightweight king cemented his status at 155lbs with a first-round head-kick knockout win.
Geoff Neal vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov
UFC Welterweight Bout
Date & Event: UFC 285, March 2023
Amidst the undercard of Jon Jones’ eagerly awaited heavyweight debut, Shavkat Rakhmonov and Geoff Neal engaged in an epic brawl that served as the pivotal moment for one of the most captivating combatants worldwide.
Neal’s incisive boxing caused Rakhmonov constant difficulty throughout the bout. The exchanges were consistently dominated by ‘Handz of Steel’ whenever they entered the pocket. Nevertheless, he struggled at range against his Kazakh opponent, suffering numerous body and head strikes.
Neal appeared to be on the verge of effectively dismissing Rakhmonov in the early stages of the third round; however, the unbeaten fighter quickly recovered, and it seemed that the judges’ scores would be required. But in a turn of events, during the dying moments of the round, ‘Nomad’ unexpectedly secured a standing neck choke, compelling Neal to submit.
Although the bout exposed some weaknesses in Rakhmonov’s skillset that we’d never witnessed before, the fact that he maintained his unblemished record and 100% finishing rate despite facing significant challenges served as a testament to his true prowess.
Justin Gaethje vs. Rafael Fiziev
UFC Lightweight Bout
Date & Event: UFC 286, March 2023
Post-fight bonuses have earned Justin Gaethje more money than many combatants have earned in their entire careers. Gaethje, aptly dubbed “The Highlight,” captivated an English audience in London with his unforgettable UFC 286 bout against Rafael Fiziev, where he also collected an additional $50k incentive for his efforts.
Fiziev made an impressive beginning, landing numerous powerful leg kicks on Gaethje’s thigh in the first round. ‘Ataman,’ the more technically proficient striker, appeared to be exceedingly fast compared to his American counterpart.
Gaethje made the necessary adjustments in the second round and began to experience greater success with his fists. As he relentlessly struck Fiziev with his potent jabs, he deviated from his customary disorderly strategy and revealed new dimensions to his game. Gaethje secured the decision with a takedown in the fight’s final seconds, which was largely consistent with the second.
Given that Fiziev and Gaethje are two of the most captivating combatants on the roster, this bout was destined to be exciting.
Max Holloway vs. The Korean Zombie
UFC Featherweight Bout
Date & Event: UFC Fight Night Singapore, August, 2023
Singapore served as the ultimate resting place of the legend known as “Korean Zombie.” In the main event, former UFC featherweight champion Holloway retired veteran opponent Jung via a thrilling faceplant KO via an emphatic right hook.
We received 10+ minutes of an absolute barn-burner renowned with “Zombie” and “Blessed” respective careers until Holloway silenced the crowd. Should this contest have gone all three rounds without a stoppage, it would’ve undoubtedly challenged Volk/Makhachev for the FOTY contender.
It was a moving moment to hear the Singapore audience sing Jung out of the cage, and damned if it was one of the most emotional retirement moments in MMA history.
Chris Curtis vs. Kelvin Gastelum
UFC Middleweight Bout
Date & Event: UFC 286, April, 2023
Everyone knew Chris Curtis and Kelvin Gastelum had no place on the UFC 287 preliminary card. They’ve both established the right to be on main card positions as talented MMA fighters and as incredibly entertaining competitors.
We all knew what we were getting into with this battle, but it lived up to our expectations and then some. Both men fought like it was a championship bout, scrapping it out on the ground, throwing haymakers, and aiming to inflict genuine harm with every blow. There wasn’t much to say other than that these middleweights understood how to overwhelm the audience with excitement.
Honourable Mentions:
UFC 290: Dan Hooker vs. Jailin Turner
UFC 283: Glover Texiera vs. Jamahal Hill
UFC 290: Brandon Moreno vs. Alexandre Pantoja III
UFC 287: Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya II
UFC 284: Yair Rodriguez vs. Josh Emmett
UFC Fight Night: Sodiq Yusuff vs. Edson Barboza
