Nominees... Conor McGregor (3-0) def. Dennis Siver (TKO) def. Chad Mendes (KO) def. Jose Aldo, Jr. (KO) (C) Mystic Mac predicted he would be UFC champion. He calls his shots and delivers. No fighter ends 2015 with as much momentum as the surging Irishman who has set his sights on the lightweight title. Luke Rockhold (2-0) def. Lyoto Machida (submission) def. Chris Weidman (TKO) (C) Drained due to a bout of cellulitis prior to his title tilt with Chris Weidman, Rockhold paced himself in their bout, at times looking slow and exhausted. Rockhold capitalized on a mistake by the champion, beat the motherfuck out of him and took his belt. Good year for AKA. Max Holloway (4-0) def. Cole Miller (UD) def. Cub Swanson (submission) def. Charles Oliveira (TKO) def. Jeremy Stephens (UD) Max "Blessed" Holloway is still sour about his loss to Conor McGregor. He's reeled-off eight straight victories since! The Hawaiian featherweight is developing before our eyes and will be fighting for a strap in no time. Holly Holm (3-0) def. Raquel Pennington (UD) def. Marion Reneau (UD) def. Ronda Rousey (KO) (C) After so-so performances leading up to her title fight (in which her coach Mike Winklejohn suggested she was intentionally sandbagging) the talented boxer and kickboxer was a heavy underdog against Rousey. Whether the rigors of being a celebrity champion wore her down or if her striking game was exposed is something only Rousey knows but Holm took full advantage and stole her soul in what was an upset heard round the world. Joanna Jedrzejczyk (3-0) def. Carla Esparza (TKO) (C) def. Jessica Penne (TKO) def. Valerie Letourneau (UD) Joanna Champion began the year by winning the belt and in the subsequent title defenses established herself as the best striker the nascent 115-lbs. division has ever seen. Her tightest bout in the UFC was against Brazilian Claudia Gadelha and a rematch looms--however both have been tapped to coach the latest iteration of The Ultimate Fighter so it might be six months before we see them go again. Rafael dos Anjos (2-0) def. Anthony Pettis (UD) (C) def. Donald Cerrone (TKO) Who saw this coming? RDA has saved the lightweight division from the oft-injured Anthony Pettis and clobbered Donald Cerrone to solidify his spot. Another oft-injured challenger Khabib Nurmagomedov looms but, fantastically, Conor McGregor might be next.
McGregor Joanna champion Holly Holm Rockhold Holloway Would be my order No rda? Him destroying cowboy and beating Pettis has gotta be up there too imo
Demetrious Johnson was Inside MMA's FOTY but I think that is a shit choice. Kyoji was a rushed contender and Dodson was a rematch that went the distance.
Holm McGregor RDA in that order for me. Holm defeated a juggernaut in convincing fashion. McGregor did too, but it had been so long since Aldo fought + the quick manner in which McGregor won makes me give the nod to Holm. McGregor landing his KO blow 13 seconds in was luck. If that fight lasts longer we see how these too look. As of now we know McGregor can end it but that's about it. A rematch go's way longer than a min IMO> RDA... beat two elite LW's there's no way to dismiss that. IMO you can make a legit argument for any of those 3 being #1 and I wouldn't say it was out of line at all.
