The Weekly Wrap: Dec. 26 - Jan. 1

2009 Awards

As 2009 wrapped, several MMA media outlets issued their year-end plaudits.

HD-Net's "Inside MMA" issued their "Bazzie" awards, small Bobble Head representations of co-host Bas Rutten in vintage Pancrase fight gear. Georges St. Pierre won Fighter of the Year. Fedor Emelianenko's knockout of Andrei Arlovski in January was awarded Best Knockout; Ray Mercer won Upset of the Year for his nine-second knockout of Tim Sylvia in June; Submission of the Year went to Toby Imada for his standing inverted triangle in May against Jorge Masvidal; Bloodbath of the Year went to Hector Lombard vs. Jared Hess at a Bellator Fighting Championships event in June.

Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos took Inside MMA's Female Fighter of the Year; Most Bizarre Moment went to John Reedy and Rodney Rhoden for a moment in their October bout where Rhoden yanked on Reedy's jock strap; Fight of the Year went to Clay Guida vs. Diego Sanchez in June; Breakthrough Fighter of the Year went to Jose Aldo.

The "World MMA Awards" were held Dec. 30 in Las Vegas, an event hosted by Fighters Only Magazine that streamed live on the website of cable channel Versus, which will air the ceremony on tape delay next week.

The awards, voted by fans, saw Georges St. Pierre take Fighter of the Year. Best MMA Gym went to Greg Jackson’s Submission Fighting, Breakthrough Fighter went to Brock Lesnar, Female Fighter of the Year went to Cristiane Santos, Submission of the Year went to Toby Imada and Fight of the Year went to Diego Sanchez vs. Clay Guida.

SI.com’s Josh Gross handed out awards on behalf of the leading sports magazine. Winners were: Georges St. Pierre for Male Fighter of the Year; Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos for Female Fighter of the Year; Donald Cerrone vs. Benson Henderson at WEC 43 for Fight of the Year; Fedor Emelianenko’s win over Andrei Arlovski for Knockout of the Year; Toby Imada’s inverted triangle over Jorge Masvidal for Submission of the Year; and Round 5 of Josh Thomson vs. Gilbert Melendez for Round of the Year.

MMA Weekly named Jose Aldo their Fighter of the Year.

Sherdog.com’s 2009 awards will be announced in the coming weeks.