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As we move on to 2012, we'll take a look back at the year that was in 2011 with MMATorch's 11 of 11. For the first 11 days of 2012, several MMATorch writers will be providing top 11 lists in a number of different categories regarding the year of MMA in 2011. Today we continue with Anwar Perez's top 11 fighters of 2011.
With the close of the year already upon us, 2011 has been a watermark year for the sport of MMA. From the buyout of Strikeforce by the parent company of the UFC, to the debut of the UFC on Fox, MMA has never been at a higher peak. Organizations like Bellator Fighting Championships and the advent of Strikeforce becoming more of an organization for lighter weight fighters, the future is all too bright for MMA.
None of the organizational achievements in the sport would have mattered if not for the fighters that made those organizations, and as a whole MMA, a sport that has reached new heights and will continue to reach even higher heights once 2012 comes and goes. Here are the top 11 fighters that made an impact, not just in the sport of MMA, but also to the mainstream world.
11.) Gilbert Melendez
Melendez is one of a few fighters yet to step in the Octagon, and as a result, he is easily the biggest prospective star fighter not in the UFC. As the Strikeforce Champion, he has dominated their lightweight division with relative ease. Though many would like to see a match up between Melendez and current UFC Lightweight Champ Frankie Edgar, the idea that Strikeforce will cater to lighter divisions easily makes Melendez the face of the organization. With the UFC transitioning other lightweight fighters to Strikeforce, Melendez stands to make 2012 a landmark year for himself and Strikeforce.
10.) Chael Sonnen
Granted, Sonnen only fought once this year after a year off, against Brian Stann, but that victory, in addition to being the greatest villain that MMA has ever known, he certainly deserves a spot on this list. When not competing, Sonnen was busy being his own hype machine, making challenges and allegations against any fighter that he felt he should say something about. In other words, everyone. Though his main target has been Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva, he has also targeted Wanderlei Silva, Brock Lesnar, Lyoto Machida, and upcoming opponent Mark Munoz. If all he did was talk, no one would pay attention, but Sonnen was able to make light work of Brian Stann in his only fight this year; if that wasn't enough, he then stated a challenge to Anderson Silva in saying that when they faced next, he would leave the UFC if he lost, but if he won, Silva would leave the division. Bold words form a bold fighter, but if 2011 was the start to his comeback after a year long layoff, then 2012 could be the banner year that Sonnen is looking for.
9.) Brock Lesnar
Though 2011 will be remembered as the year he retired, for Brock Lesnar it was still a big year as he was in a high profile gig as one of the coaches on the Ultimate Fighter and an even higher profile fight against Alistair Overrem. Though he lost the fight, and subsequently retired, love him or hate him Lesnar was a huge draw for the UFC. Because of that, he never had to step in the cage up until the last of the year, and yet, the mere mention of his name or presence at a fight was more akin to celebrity status, and that alone could make the event bigger. His mere presence as one of the biggest stars MMA has ever seen makes him on this list as a guy that can grab a crowd without even fighting but once (see Chael Sonnen for the same effect).
8.) Jung Chan-Sang aka "The Korean Zombie"
In 2011, there may not have been a more exciting fighter not named Jon Jones (more on that later). The Korean Zombie made a name for himself in 2010 in a classic fight against Leonard Garcia, and in 2011, made sure that everyone remembered his name. He avenged a loss against Leonard Garcia with a twister submission (the first such submission in UFC history) earlier in the year, then garnered a seven second KO against Mark Hominick in early December. He's mostly a cult phenomenon within another cult phenomenon in MMA, but nonetheless, he has always been an exciting fighter, and with a nickname like "The Korean Zombie," this cult fighter will certainly break that glass ceiling in 2012.
7.) Dominick Cruz
There's something to be said for a dominating fighter that hasn't lost since 2007 and holds a major championship, yet isn't nearly as recognizable as other fighters in the sport. Dominick Cruz has quietly dominated the bantamweight division, not only losing once since 2007, but that being his only loss period. He avenged that loss this year in a dominating performance against Urijah Faber in a fight for Cruz's Bantamweight Championship. He then defended it against Demetrious Johnson, and again, won in dominating fashion to keep his championship. Maybe it's the weight class he's in, but Cruz will no doubt look to be a breakout fighter in MMA in 2012 with an upcoming stint on the Ultimate Fighter, and hopefully, people will start to recognize Cruz as one of the most dominating fighters in the past few years.
6.) Dan Henderson
A lot of credit gets thrown to Randy Couture for being the Energizer Bunny of MMA, as he seemed to not lose a step the older he got, but the same should be said of Dan Henderson. After a 2010 where he lost to Jake Shields in a Middleweight Championship bout for Strikeforce, Henderson looked to bounce back in 2011, and did he ever. In the first quarter, Henderson won the Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Championship from Rafael Cavalcante via TKO. Then, during the summer, in what many deemed a "legends fight," Henderson fought the legendary Fedor Emelianenko in a winning effort, shocking many doubters who said Henderson was an underdog for his size against the heavyweight Fedor. For some, that would have made a great year, but Henderson didn't stop there. He then fought Shogun Rua in an instant classic that was a unanimous decision win for Henderson, but easily the Fight of the Year for all of MMA. It's a fight that may even break the top five of all time. Henderson still has a run left in him and is looking towards the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship in 2012.
5.) Nick Diaz
There is no one more anti-establishment than Nick Diaz. Whereas Chael Sonnen has a big mouth and says stuff that he later apologizes for, don't expect the same with Diaz. He'll flip you off, no-show a press conference and tell you straight to your face what he thinks of you, usually using four letter words as adjectives in that description. He worked his way back to UFC and became a top contender for the Welterweight Championship by defeating B.J. Penn in his return bout. Granted, Diaz was supposed to fight for the Welterweight Championship against Georges St. Pierre, but after blowing off a press conference, the UFC (namely, Dana White) demoted Diaz to the fight against Penn. Before defeating Penn late in the year, and coming back to the UFC, Diaz was the Welterweight Champion in Strikeforce, successfully defending his belt against Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos and Paul Daley. His skill is impeccable and his attitude both a blessing and a curse, makes Diaz a top fighter. If 2011 proves anything, 2012 could be the year where we have a new welterweight champion in the UFC. Time will see.
4.) Frankie Edgar
Edgar may be one of the smallest fighters on this list, but he is probably the toughest on it too. He twice defended his Lightweight Championship against Gray Maynard twice, first time being a draw in an exciting fight, and the second in almost the same fashion as before, but with a dramatic TKO finish. Both fights saw Edgar get completely dazed by Maynard, yet he was able to get himself together to outlast Maynard. In the second fight, he finished off Maynard via TKO. When Edgar won the Lightweight Championship from B.J. Penn in 2010, many were unsure how long he would keep the Championship, seeing that even for a lightweight, he's a smaller fighter within the division. Size indeed did not matter when facing Maynard, and I don't see it mattering much in 2012, as I see Edgar easily being the only fighter to truly dominate the lightweight division.
3.) Junior dos Santos
There is probably no bigger feel good story of the year in MMA than the story of Junior dos Santos winning the UFC Heavyweight Championship. Not only was he able to do it in grand fashion via a quick TKO of then champion Cain Velasquez, but he was able to do it as the lone fight on the inaugural broadcast for the UFC on Fox. Before that, he was able to defeat Shane Carwin in a number one contender's fight, as a condition of his coaching on the Ultimate Fighter. Even though he was not able to face the original opponent and coach of the other team on the show, Brock Lesnar, Dos Santos took it in stride and took Carwin to the limit, beating him to face Velasquez later in the year. When dos Santos won, you could honestly say that if you work hard and do your best, good things do happen. No one knows that more after 2011 than Junior dos Santos.
2.) Anderson Silva
It would not be a year-end list if Anderson Silva was not included in it in someway. Luckily for us as fans, he's listed as a guy that took care of business in the cage. Though much has been made of Silva's attitude and performance in fights against fighters that he deemed "less than worthy" of fighting him, this year he had no issues with that. In February, he dispatched top-contender Vitor Belfort via front-kick to the face. It looked like something out of a movie. Of note, Steven Segal has been given credit for helping Silva with that maneuver. Yes, that Segal. In August, fighting in his home country of Brazil, Silva defeated Yushin Okami, the last man to hold a "win" over him from 2006. That also happens to have been the last time Silva lost. Anderson Silva has become the Mike Tyson of MMA. He may defeat his opponent in less than a minute, or, he may feel like he wants to play with them a little longer before beating him. Either way, his popularity as the most dominating fighter in MMA has always kept Silva at the top of every list, in one way or another. This past year was no exception, and 2012 shouldn't be either.
1.) Jon Jones
Jon Jones has become the most well known, top tier fighter in MMA in a remarkably short amount of time. It's not just his victories over Ryan Bader, Shogun Rua, Rampage Jackson or Lyoto Machida. It's not because he won all four fights in 2011 by submission or TKO. It's not that he's the Light Heavyweight Champion, which in the past has been somewhat of a top championship akin to the heavyweight championship in boxing. It's because he wins more and more, dominating each and every time, and you can almost see the improvement from fight to fight in his skill. No one has had a faster rise to the top, not only in MMA, but also in the mainstream. He has been featured on ESPN, a commercial for K-Swiss (with Kenny Powers), and numerous media outlets. Even though he has been marginalized by many MMA fans, almost becoming a fighter to root against, not one person can deny the skill that Jon Jones possesses. With 2011 being the banner year for Jones - a fighter who is still yet to reach his prime - expect to see Jones at the top of this list once 2012 comes to a close.
There have been many great fights this past year, with great fighters in them. The constant coverage that MMA receives, and the outlets that it seems to be reaching, almost to a national level across the board, MMA has a very bright future. With this list of fighters and others that were not mentioned, this past year saw these fighters make an impact that many fighters never reach in their respective careers. Will some of these fighters be included next year? Probably, but with the transitioning that has been happening as of late, don't be surprised to see a few new faces that look to put the MMA world on its respective ear in 2012.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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Chris Park - Matt Pelkey
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