Ilia Topuria or Alex Pereira? The debate over who should be crowned Fighter of the Year is heating up, and it’s more contentious than the classic Midoriya vs. Bakugo argument. Topuria made a resounding statement in 2024, establishing himself as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters and a burgeoning superstar. His back-to-back knockouts against all-time greats like Max Holloway and Alexander Volkanovski have not only solidified his status but have also put him in prime contention for the honor. With two months of UFC action still on the horizon, the spotlight is firmly on Topuria and Pereira.

Former champion Henry Cejudo weighed in during the Pound 4 Pound podcast, asserting, “It would be silly not to give Fighter of the Year to Alex Pereira.” However, he quickly acknowledged Topuria’s achievements, emphasizing that “Ilia Topuria beat two first-ballot Hall of Famers. Alexander Volkanovski, a former pound-for-pound king, and Max Holloway, a legend in his own right.” Cejudo ultimately declared, “Alex Pereira can step aside; there’s a BMF and Fighter of the Year in Ilia Topuria.”

Topuria’s victory over Holloway marked a historic moment, making him the first fighter to knock out the Hawaiian. On the other hand, Alex Pereira has been on a relentless knockout campaign of his own, shattering records and achieving three title defenses in a remarkably short span of just 157 days. For the unversed, this is a company record! Moreover, he’s earned highlight reels against notable opponents like Jiri Prochazka, Khalil Rountree Jr., and Jamahal Hill.

Even UFC CEO Dana White was on the fence about this topic. He said during the UFC 308 presser, “Yeah, that’s a good question, I don’t know, that’s a tough one… I’d have to look at the numbers and stats, but you know, you can’t take it away from either one of them for what they’ve done this year.” On the other hand, Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen have their verdicts.

Chael Sonnen and Daniel Cormier make their call on who should be FOTY