2013 World MMA Award winners

The 2013 World MMA Award winners were announced yesterday during a black-tie ceremony at the Venetian and Palazzo Resort, Hotel & Casinos in Las Vegas.

UFC heavyweight contender Travis “Hapa” Browne took home a pair of the evenings awards, including the fan voted “Breakthrough Fighter of the Year,” as well as the award for “Comeback of the Year,” which he received for his comeback-victory over Alistair Overeem at “UFC Fight Night 26.”

The full list of winners (highlighted in bold) are as follows:

Charles “Mask” Lewis Fighter of the Year
– Vitor Belfort
– Urijah Faber
– Demetrious Johnson
– Chris Weidman ~ Winner
– Cain Velasquez

Female Fighter of the Year
– Joanne Calderwood
– Alexis Davis
– Jessica Eye
– Holly Holm
– Ronda Rousey ~ Winner

Breakthrough Fighter of the Year
– Travis Browne ~ Winner
– T.J. Grant
– Conor McGregor
– Nick Newell
– Khabib Nurmagomedov

International Fighter of the Year
– Shinya Aoki
– Alexander Gustafsson ~ Winner
– Conor McGregor
– Khabib Nurmagomedov
– Alexander Shlemenko

Fight of the Year
– Wanderlei Silva vs. Brian Stann (UFC on Fuel TV 8)
– Michael Chandler vs. Eddie Alvarez II (Bellator 106)
– Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson (UFC 165) ~ Winner
– Gilbert Melendez vs. Diego Sanchez (UFC 166)
– Mark Hunt vs. Antonio Silva (UFC Fight Night 33)

Knockout of the Year
– Vitor Belfort (vs. Luke Rockhold, UFC on FX 8) ~ Winner
– Junior Dos Santos (vs. Mark Hunt, UFC 160)
– Emanuel Newton (vs. “King Mo” Lawal, Bellator 90)
– Julio Cesar Neves Jr. (vs. Dener Dos Santos, WOCS 28)
– Chris Weidman (vs. Anderson Silva, UFC 162)

Submission of the Year
– Olivier Fontaine (vs. Sofian Benchohra, Lyon FC)
– Josh Burkman (vs. Jon Fitch, WSOF 3)
– Urijah Faber (vs. Ivan Menjivar, UFC 157) ~ Winner
– Rose Namajunas (vs. Kathina Catron, Invicta 5)
– Kenny Robertson (vs. Brock Jardine, UFC 157)

Comeback of the Year
– Travis Browne (vs. Alistair Overeem, UFC Fight Night 26) ~ Winner
– Blagoi Ivanov (career)
– Robbie Lawler (career)
– Michelle Waterson (vs. Jessica Penne, Invicta 5)
– Tom Watson (vs. Stanislav Nedkov, UFC on Fuel TV 7)

Shawn Tompkins Coach of the Year
– Henri Hooft
– Duane Ludwig ~ Winner
– Ray Longo
– Andre Pederneiras
– Duke Roufus

Gym of the Year
– AKA
– Jackson-Winkeljohn MMA
– Nova Uniao
– Roufusport
– Team Alpha Male ~ Winner

Trainer of the Year
– Doug Balzarini
– Jake Bonacci
– Jonathan Chaimberg
– Mike Dolce ~ Winner
– Joel Jamieson

Referee of the Year
– Herb Dean ~ Winner
– Marc Goddard
– Yves Lavigne
– John McCarthy
– Mario Yamasaki

Ringcard Girl of the Year
– Jade Bryce
– Arianny Celeste
– Kat Kelley
– Brittney Palmer ~ Winner
– Mercedes Terrell

Leading Man
– Victor Cui
– Lorenzo Fertitta
– Bjorn Rebney
– Ray Sefo
– Dana White ~ Winner

Personality of the Year
– Bruce Buffer
– Kenny Florian
– Joe Rogan
– Bas Rutten
– Chael Sonnen ~ Winner

Best Promotion
– Bellator MMA
– Cage Warriors
– ONE FC
– UFC ~ Winner
– WSOF

Best Lifestyle Clothing
– Bad Boy ~ Winner
– Fear the Fighter
– Headrush
– Roots of Fight
– Torque

Best Technical Clothing
– Bad Boy
– Clinch Gear
– Hayabusa
– Jaco
– Venum ~ Winner

Best Technical Equipment
– Bad Boy ~ Winner
– Century
– Everlast
– Hayabusa
– Venum

Media Source of the Year
– Inside MMA (AXS TV)
– MMA Fighting ~ Winner
– MMAjunkie
– Sherdog
– UFC Tonight (Fox Sports)

Journalist of the Year
– Mike Chiappetta (Fox Sports)
– Gareth A Davies (The Daily Telegraph/Fox Sports)
– Ben Fowlkes (USA TODAY/MMAjunkie)
– Ariel Helwani (MMA Fighting/Fox Sports) ~ Winner
– John Morgan (USA TODAY/MMAjunkie)

Any awards you disagree with? Let’s hear it Penn Nation!

By Chris Taylor