Bloody Elbow 2014 half-year MMA awards: Final results

Well we’re in the middle of August, and technically that means we’re a month over the half-year mark, but it’s reasonably close enough. After a week long stretch of voting for best KO, best submission, best fight, and several other categories, the results are in.

Obviously what stands out is how razor-thin “Best Fight” and “Best Fighter” turned out to be, as Chris Weidman vs. Lyoto Machida just barely beat out Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler for MMA’s top fight in the first half of 2014, while Robbie Lawler squeaked past T.J. Dillashaw for best fighter. There’s one category winner I’ve disqualified until the year-end awards for reasons I will explain after releasing these results:

Best Knockout

1.) Dong Hyun Kim def. John Hathaway (spinning elbow) – 49% (821 votes)
2.) Ronda Rousey def. Alexis Davis (punches) – 12% (193 votes)
3.) Dan Henderson def. Mauricio Rua (punches) – 11% (180 votes)

Best Submission

1.) Luke Rockhold def. Tim Boetsch (inverted triangle kimura) – 26% (438 votes)
2.) Mitch Clarke def. Al Iaquinta (d’arce choke) – 23% (380 votes)
3.) Niklas Backstrom def. Tom Niinimaki (bulldog choke) – 15% (244 votes)

Best Comeback

1.) Dan Henderson def. Mauricio Rua – 40% (400 votes)
2.) Matt Brown def. Erick Silva – 33% (323 votes)
3.) Cathal Pendred def. Mike King – 18% (183 votes)

Best Fight

1.) Chris Weidman def. Lyoto Machida – 33% (514 votes)
2.) Johny Hendricks def. Robbie Lawler – 33% (505 votes)
3.) Matt Brown def. Erick Silva – 17% (262 votes)

Best Fighter

1.) Robbie Lawler – 25% (333 votes)
2.) T.J. Dillashaw – 24% (318 votes)
3.) Donald Cerrone – 19% (257 votes)

Biggest Upset

1.) T.J. Dillashaw def. Renan Barao – 91% (1378 votes)
2.) Will Brooks def. Michael Chandler – 3% (44 votes)
3.) Tito Ortiz def. Alexander Shlemenko – 2% (35 votes)

Best Event*

1.) World Series of Fighting 8: Gaethje vs. Patishnock – 59% (2968 votes)
2.) UFC Fight Night: Henderson vs. Khabilov – 21% (1039 votes)
3.) UFC Fight Night: McGregor vs. Brandao – 6% (313 votes)

* – I am not going to consider these results legitimate. When the poll first came out, WSOF 8 was dead last, and then shot up to a stupid number. Henderson vs. Khabilov may have also been given spambot treatment so there is no winner for Best Event.

Thanks to everyone who voted, left their comments, or participated in some other form. The BE year-end awards will actually be on time and will run during the first week of January. For now, discuss the above results among yourselves.