MMA Fighting's List of the Top 5 Combatants in 2023 Revealed
Fight Night: Top 5 Fighters in 2023's Cage Warfare Battle
MMA Fighting has shaken up the competitions scene this year, declaring the crème de la crème of fighters in 2023.
After an incredible display of prowess, the "Tarzan" himself, Sean "Strick" Strickland, an American middleweight UFC trailblazer, seizes the coveted title as the Fighter of the Year. He snatched the division title in a jaw-dropping victory against Israel Adesanya during UFC 293, storming up from the 5th rank with a sudden, unexpected fight.
The second spot goes to Islam Makhachev, the iron-fisted UFC lightweight champion, whose dominance extended to twice defeating Alex Volkanovski to defend his title.
In a thrilling tussle, former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou and current welterweight champ Leon Edwards share the third and fourth place. Ngannou, the charismatic "Predator" hailing from France and Cameroon, created a spectacle in the fight world by nearly vanquishing heavyweight titan Tyson Fury (despite losing via controversial split decision) and storming into the WBC heavyweight top 10 rankings. UK's Edwards, on the other hand, successfully defended his UFC welterweight championship against Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington.
Bringing up the rear but not to be overlooked is American Patrick Mix, the new Bellator featherweight champion. He snatched the title in the Grand Prix and subsequently outscored fellow American and legend, Sergio Pettis, in a unification bout.
Now, let's dive into some noteworthy performances of 2023's top-ranked fighters:
Jon "Bones" Jones, after a three-year hiatus, made his triumphant return in March, claiming the vacant UFC heavyweight crown by choking out Ciryl Gane[^1]. With a 1-0 record in 2023, Jones secured his status as the UFC heavyweight champion[^1].
Alex Pereira had a remarkable run, defeating Jan Blachowicz to earn a shot at the UFC light-heavyweight title, and later in November, knocking out Jiří Procházka to claim the vacant UFC light-heavyweight crown[^5]. Pereira thus became a dual UFC champion in record time[^5].
Islam Makhachev showcased his unstoppable grappling skills, retaining the UFC lightweight title by besting Alexander Volkanovski in a rematch, and solidifying his pound-for-pound status[^5].
Tom Aspinall rose to fame by seizing the UFC interim heavyweight title with a first-round KO of Sergei Pavlovich in November, cementing his breakout status[^1].
Last but not least, Israel Adesanya avenged his 2022 loss to Alex Pereira by knocking him out, retaking the UFC middleweight title in April, and then narrowly losing it to Sean Strickland[^5].
Israel Adesanya, the former UFC middleweight champion, met Sean "Strick" Strickland during UFC 293, a sudden and unexpected match that saw Strickland claiming victory.
Adesanya, who briefly lost his title to Strickland, later redeemed himself by knocking out Alex Pereira, a win that allowed him to reclaim the UFC middleweight crown.
In the world of mixed-martial-arts, few competitors challenge Adesanya for the title of a middleweight 'adesanya', with the performance of the year being Sean "Strick" Strickland's unification bout against him.
The unification bout between Strickland and Adesanya marked a significant moment in the middleweight division, a division where the notable presence of Adesanya continues to make waves.
