Ronda Rousey continues to pile on the accolades.
The finalists for the “2012 World MMA Awards” have been announced and the Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion was nominated in a record four categories, including the most prestigious best fighter award.
Named the “Charles (Mask) Lewis Fighter of the Year” award, the honour is voted on by the fans and goes to the mixed martial artist, male or female, deemed to have performed the best or accomplished the most over the 12-month period from Sept. 1, 2011 to Sept. 30, 2012. Rousey won three fights in the span, including a defeat of Miesha Tate on March 3 to become champion.
Last year’s winner was Jon Jones, after he went 4-0 in the UFC and captured the light-heavyweight title. Jones is nominated again this year, along with Benson Henderson, who won the UFC lightweight title, Nate Diaz and Daniel Cormier.
Rousey also received nominations for Female Fighter of the Year and Breakthrough Fighter of the Year, and her first-round armbar of Miesha Tate at Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey is up for the Submission of the Year award.
The annual awards are presented by Fighters Only Magazine and can be voted on at www.worldmmaawards.com. The ceremony will be held in Las Vegas later this year; the date and venue are expected to be announced soon.
Here is the list of nominees in 20 categories (a 21st category, titled “Fans’ Highlight Reel Moment of the Year Award” allows voters to type an entry in 140 words or less):
Charles (Mask) Lewis Fighter of the Year
— Daniel Cormier
— Nate Diaz
— Benson Henderson
— Jon Jones
— Ronda Rousey
Female Fighter of the Year
— Jessica Aguilar
— Sarah Kaufman
— Sara McMann
— Ronda Rousey
— Miesha Tate
Breakthrough Fighter of the Year
— Renan Barao
— Michael Chandler
— Luke Rockhold
— Ronda Rousey
— Chris Weidman
International Fighter of the Year
— Michael Bisping
— Alexander Gustafsson
— Chan Sung Jung
— Martin Kampmann
— Stefan Struve
Fight of the Year
— Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (UFC 139)
— Michael Chandler vs. Eddie Alvarez (Bellator 58)
— Jake Ellenberger vs. Diego Sanchez (UFC on FUEL TV 1)
— Dustin Poirier vs. Chan Sung Jung (UFC on FUEL TV 3)
— Jamie Varner vs. Joe Lauzon (UFC on FOX 4)
Knockout of the Year
— Adam Khaliev vs. Alexei Belyaev (League S-70)
— Edson Barboza vs. Terry Etim (UFC 142)
— Stephen Thompson vs. Dan Stittgen (UFC 143)
— Anthony Pettis vs. Joe Lauzon (UFC 144)
— Brian Rogers vs. Vitor Vianna (Bellator 61)
Submission of the Year
— Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (UFC 140)
— Charles Oliveira vs. Eric Wisely (UFC on FOX 2)
— Rousimar Palhares vs. Mike Massenzio (UFC 142)
— Ronda Rousey vs. Miesha Tate (Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey)
— Chan Sung Jung vs. Dustin Poirier (UFC on FUEL TV 3)
Comeback of the Year
— Alan Belcher (career)
— Mike Swick (career)
— Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (UFC 140)
— Tim Boetsch vs. Yushin Okami (UFC 144)
— J.P. Joubert vs. Norman Wessels (EFC Africa 15)
Shawn Tompkins Coach of the Year
— Rafael Cordeiro
— Cesar Gracie
— Greg Jackson
— Javier Mendez
— Andre Pederneiras
Gym of the Year
— American Kickboxing Academy
— Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
— Jackson-Winkeljohn MMA
— Kings MMA
— Nova Uniao
Referee of the Year
— Herb Dean
— Marc Goddard
— John McCarthy
— Josh Rosenthal
— Mario Yamasaki
Ring Card Girl of the Year
— Jade Bryce
— Arianny Celeste
— Kelli Hutcherson
— Brittney Palmer
— Mercedes Terrell
Leading Man of the Year
— Victor Cui
— Lorenzo Fertitta
— Shannon Knapp
— Bjorn Rebney
— Dana White
Personality of the Year
— Jon Anik
— Bruce Buffer
— Mauro Ranallo
— Joe Rogan
— Bas Rutten
Best Promotion
— Bellator
— Invicta FC
— ONE FC
— Strikeforce
— UFC
Best Lifestyle Clothing Brand
— Bad Boy
— Dethrone
— Headrush
— Punishment
— TapouT
Best Technical Clothing Brand
— Bad Boy
— Clinch Gear
— Hayabusa
— Jaco
— Venum
Best Technical Equipment
— Everlast
— Fairtex
— Hayabusa
— Pretorian
— Venum
MMA Media Source of the Year
— ESPN
— “Inside MMA” on AXS TV
— MMAFighting.com
— MMAjunkie.com
— Sherdog.com
MMA Journalist of the Year
— Karyn Bryant, MMA HEAT/FUEL TV
— Ben Fowlkes, MMAjunkie.com/USA TODAY
— Gareth A. Davies, The Telegraph
— Ariel Helwani, MMAFighting.com/FUEL TV
— John Morgan, MMAjunkie.com/USA TODAY
