We wrap up our year-end awards for 2024 with our pick for Fight of the Year. It wasn’t a landslide, but one scrap from the highly-entertaining Noche UFC card this September took 50% of the vote— enough to give it the win.
Fight of the Year 2024
Eddie Law: Zellhuber vs. Ribovics. One of the fights on UFC 306 that I was insanely hyped for was Daniel Zellhuber and Esteban Ribovics. A firefight indeed, both men showed incredible heart and technique. Zellhuber dropped Ribovics early, but it was a flurry by Ribovics that lasted over one minute that had the crowd on it’s feet and earned him a very close split-decision victory.
Jay Anderson: Max Holloway vs. Justin Gaethje at UFC 300. There’s a strong argument to be made for Daniel Zellhuber vs. Esteban Ribovics here. Brandon Royval vs. Tatsuro Taira should also get a mention. If I’m being honest, however, I was most invested in Holloway vs. Gaethje. Like many, I feared for Max moving up against an innovator of violence (with apologies to Tommy Dreamer) like Gaethje. Yet it turned out to be a classic Holloway performance with a mind-blowing finish.
Gabriel Gonzalez: Dricus Du Plessis vs Israel Adesanya. Considering the history between the two, hitting at times uncomfortable topics in the pre-fight build up, it was a tall order to live up to the hype. But these two delivered, with Adesanya delivering a performance that was a return to form after a long layoff. To the victor goes the spoils though, and Du Plessis rallied to stop a formidable foe and cement himself as an all-time great middleweight behind his current campaign.
Bryson Hester: Esteban Ribovics vs Daniel Zellhuber. This fight had everything a fan could want. Ribovics and Zellhuber put on a one of a kind fight at one of a kind show, Noche UFC. The fight was back and forth the entire time and was close to being stopped on an occasion or two. The stand up striking battle between these two tenacious fighters was sure to be one that fans will watch on repeat for years to come.
Patrick McCorry: Zellhuber vs. Ribovics. Had the pleasure of watching this fight alongside Eddie Law. We were on the edge of our seats the entire time. The UFC nailed this matchmaking.
Cade Morehouse: Fight of the year has to be Esteban Ribovics vs Daniel Zellhuber. Anyone that wants to get into MMA watch that fight. The shots those guys took and the heart those guys showed was crazy. They were the real main event in possibly the biggest production event you will ever see in MMA history. Those two are every bit of what the fans come to see every Saturday night!
Brett Cagle: Kenneth Cross vs Emmanuel Sanchez. Many of my colleagues will more than likely pick Max Holloway vs Justin Gaethje, which is a deserving and quality selection. However, what I witnessed at XFC 51 from Michigan native Kenneth Cross and former Bellator title challenger Emmanuel Sanchez was the greatest singular fight I have ever seen in person. Sanchez and Cross went toe to toe in a blood and guts-affair that left no one sitting inside the Baird Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Electrifying the fans in attendance for 15 minutes “The Boss” Kenneth Cross picked up the biggest win of his career after a back-and-forth battle in the Midwest.
Mathis Desjardins: Islam Makhachev vs Dustin Poirier [UFC 302]. This was supposed to be a formality. Poirier came in as a four-to-one betting underdog in a title shot he got as a result of timing and availability more than anything. But ‘The Diamond’ gave everything he had and bloodied up Makhachev more than we had ever seen before. Round 1 played out the way most anticipated, but the back-and-forth war that ensued after was one for the ages.
End result: Daniel Zellhuber vs. Esteban Ribovics earns our Fight of the Year award for 2024 with 50% of the votes.
