Fight of the Year is always a hotly debated topic, with many entertaining fights being suggested as deserving the top spot. With the end of 2019 rapidly approaching, we wanted to suggest our nominations (so far) for the best fights – here are our three favourites
Barberena Vs Luque
This fight had everything right from the bell; both fighters being rocked before making a come back, submission attempts, escapes, ground and pound and anything else you could want. And that was just round one. The fight almost made it the full three rounds, ending at 4:54 of the third round, and was pretty much constant action for as long as it lasted, and a testament to how just tough UFC contenders get.
Porier vs Holloway
These days it’s no longer enough to be champ, the era of the champ champ is well and truly here. So Max Holloway took a shot at proving himself even further than he already has by jumping up to 155 to try and claim the interim lightweight title against Dustin Porier – who had previously beaten Max at featherweight. The fight proved to be a demonstration of Porier’s skill as he fought his way to a unanimous decision. But even more impressive was the demonstration of just how tough they build ‘em in Hawaii. Holloway took everything the bigger man could throw at him, and came back asking for more each time. The heart and determination he showed meant that even in losing his stock as a champion rose, and the fight is a hell of a thing to watch.
Adesanya vs Gastleum
Adesanya vs Gastleum’s fight for the interim middleweight belt was pretty much what you hope for in a title fight; two highly skilled martial artists constantly adjusting their gameplans and pushing each other to the limits over a full five rounds. It was a brilliant match up that forced both fighters to be their best, and we got to see Stylebender push as hard we we’ve ever seen him pushed. The fight was back and forth, with both men being rocked, and despite the majority of the war taking place on the feet we got some insight into how Adesanya is on the ground, with an attempt at a submission after Kelvin took him down.
We’ll leave you to check out these fights (if you haven’t already seen them) and decide for yourself which one is deserves the Fight of the Year award. Have we missed out a contender you think deserves to be included? Or is there an upcoming fight you think will make the list? Let us know in the comments!