This year’s UFC Fighter of the Year debate is already heating up like a main event on a Saturday night! We’ve got four legitimate contenders making undeniably strong cases for the honor, a real dynamic shift from previous years. Usually, there’s one clear favorite for the calendar year, someone who just runs away with it. Think about Kamaru Usman’s perfect run in 2021, or Alex Pereira’s meteoric rise in 2022 that had everyone buzzing. Even Islam Makhachev was the clear top dog in 2023 with his pair of wins over Alexander Volkanovski. But 2026? This is a whole different beast!
Gaethje’s Unstoppable Rise and Van’s Dominance
Justin Gaethje, the 37-year-old veteran, has put together a run that’s impossible to ignore. He’s scored a pair of incredible upset wins against Paddy Pimblett and Ilia Topuria, delivering two of the best scraps we’ve seen all year. Gaethje wasn’t just winning; he added an undisputed lightweight championship to his already Hall-of-Fame resume. Seriously, he defeated two unbeaten fighters and overcame adversity in both fights! Brian Campbell, one of the CBS Sports experts, isn’t holding back, saying no one is besting what Gaethje has done through his two fights in 2026. The craziest part? Gaethje likely would’ve retired had he lost either of those matchups! This man is fighting like his career depends on it, because it did.
But hold up, it’s not a one-man show for the top honor. Joshua Van absolutely erased any doubt about his legitimacy as the flyweight champion with his dominant wins over Tatsuro Taira and Alexandre Pantoja. This kid is for real, a legit champ silencing all his doubters.
Strickland’s Comeback and the Heavyweight Showdown
Then there’s Sean Strickland, who also picked up a pair of massive upset wins. He reclaimed the middleweight title after taking out Anthony Hernandez and Khamzat Chimaev. Talk about a comeback story for the ages! Strickland showed us that anything can happen in the Octagon, especially when titles are on the line.
And we can’t forget the heavyweight picture, which is about to get even wilder. Josh Hokit is looking to go 4-0 in a calendar year, already owning three wins against Denzel Freeman, Curtis Blaydes, and Derrick Lewis. He’s scheduled to fight Ciryl Gane, who’s got a win over Alex Pereira, for the heavyweight title at UFC 334 in November. The winner of that fight? They are absolutely going to have a strong case for Fighter of the Year, especially with that title on the line!
Remember last year? Petr Yan essentially *stole* the recognition from Merab Dvalishvili with a stunning December win, snatching it away just as Dvalishvili was going for a historical fourth title defense in a calendar year. This year, with so many strong arguments already on the table and a huge heavyweight title fight looming, it feels like we’re heading for another dramatic finish right down to the wire. Who’s gonna pull it off? We’ll be watching every punch, every takedown, especially that Hokit vs. Gane showdown in November. It’s gonna be epic!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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