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Podcast of the Year: Extra Rounds

From rag-tag to on location, TJ DeSantis, Pearl Gonzalez, Din Thomas, Ray Longo and crew have become easily the best UFC FIGHT PASS exclusive podcast.

Journalist of the Year: Chase Hooper

Don’t call it a comeback. After Hooper cruised the Las Vegas streets finding out fans’ favorite featherweight fighters and favorite Brandon Moreno fight, it was impossible not to give him the crown yet again.

Poster of the Year: LFA 100

The composition and treatment of the fighters on the poster are a clean, safe play, but the LFA 100 poster needed to pop with the milestone and it did, and then some. From the “100” in the background to the shine of that gold, it was going to be very tough for a poster to catch eyes quite as easily as this one.

Watch LFA 100 here.

FIGHT PASS Graduate of the Year: Paddy Pimblett

It feels like we’re doing Erin Blanchfield and her 2-0 UFC record dirty here, but it’s hard to argue with the entrance Paddy Pimblett made. From Cage Warriors mainstay to the talk of the entire company in one fight. A Performance of the Night bonus, viral interview and a cool seven-figure deal with Barstool Sports in less than five minutes, “it was always Paddy the Baddy.”

Storyline of the Year: Chris Tramell’s Return to Combat Sports

From fighting in the highest promotion in Muay Thai to homeless addict to a Thailand prison to a nearly life-ending motorcycle accident. Doctors barely gave Tramell a chance to run again; had he asked his chances of competing in a Thai fight ever again he would have gotten yet another head examination. Sure enough, he stepped in the Lion Fight ring in 2021.
 

Watch Hassan Oseni vs Chris Tramell here.

Nickname of the Year: “Half-Ass” Chance Thackston

“Explosive Thin Man” was funny, “Candi Crush” was creative but “Half-Ass” Chance ran away with this category pretty easily.

Cody Carrillo vs Chance Thackston here.

 Walkout of the Year: Myron Dennis – LFA 99

What happens when Myron Dennis gets rehydrated before a fight? “I don’t know, it’s really confusing come fight night,” said Dennis.”

‘Nuff said.

Watch LFA 99 here.

Interview of the Year: Solomon Renfro – CFFC 94

Outside of Brok Weaver announcing on the microphone he was illegally fighting on foreign land, nobody really came close to topping Solomon Renfro’s plea with New York and New Jersey politicians to fix the potholes that almost caused him to no-show CFFC 94. Renfro has proven that he’s not one for a boring fight and even more impervious to boring interviews.

Watch CFFC 94 here.

Folly of the Year: Sean Strickland gives up his back – SUG 29

While walking away from his opponent, Sean Strickland playfully threw his hands up in celebration of a match well done. Problem is the match was still going and he was choked out immediately as a result of his celebration. All time folly.

“Hello, Japan!”

Watch SUG 29 here.

Submission of the Year: Jonathan Piersma – CFFC 94 – Omoplata

It’s been quite a while since we’ve seen an Omoplata on FIGHT PASS and it was worth the wait. The submission beat out a calf slicer, a twister and a Japanese Necktie. There’s just something a little bit more special about going into a fight expecting a knockout and seeing one of the rarest submissions out there.

Watch Jonathan Piersma vs Tommy Majeski here.

Knockout of the Year: Steven Walker – Lion Fight 64

If only there could have been four winners. Our heart goes out to Justin Barry specifically after he gave us a knockout we’ve never seen before, but Steven Walker gave us a video game knockout. This far-fetched kick would have made movie theatre audiences roll their eyes if it was written into a script, but Steven Walker made it a reality. Can’t take that away from him.

Watch Steven Walker vs Brian Collette here.

Female Fighter of the Year: Danielle Kelly

A FIGHT PASS grappling event without Danielle Kelly almost doesn’t exist. Although she came up short in her FPI match, Kelly is the favorite going up against UFC Strawweight Champion Rose Namajunas to close out the year at Fury Pro Grappling 3.

Watch Danielle Kelly vs Cathryn Millares here.

Male Fighter of the Year: Mason Fowler

Impossible to deny the man his second straight Male Fighter of the Year award after he defended his SUG crown for the 50th time in a row.

Watch Mason Fowler vs Gabriel Checco here.

Fight of the Year: Paul Hughes vs Morgan Charriere – Cage Warriors 128

While Tommy Aaron vs Gerald Scott may have been a closer fight, no fight was even close to the “Big Fight” feel that Hughes and Charriere had at CW 128. By the end, Hughes may have begun running away with it but both men appeared to be fighting for something much more than a Cage Warriors title. They looked like gladiators fighting for their lives in the Coliseum.

If there was a “Pre-Fight Face Off of the Year” award it would have won that, too. What a treat this fight was.

Watch Paul Hughes vs Morgan Charriere here.

Event of the Year: LFA 100

With seemingly 75% of the UFC roster featuring LFA veterans, the promotion had high expectations for their milestone event. This event alone featured Walkout of the Year, Fight of the Year and Poster of the Year nominations. Every fight seemed to go viral and even every video package seemed to be a hit with the fans. It was the perfect event and a perfect nod to all the talent they’ve hosted along the way. It’s almost impossible to give anybody this award without saying that CFFC 100 missed the mark by a razor-thin margin.

What a year of events we had.
Watch LFA 100 here.
Watch CFFC 100 here.

To all the fans and subscribers, thank you all beyond words, and somehow, some way, 2022 will be even bigger!

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