The debate for UFC Fighter of the Year 2024 seems to be heating up. 2024 looked like it belonged to one fighter in the UFC, Alex Pereira.
The UFC light heavyweight champion took on Jamahal Hill at UFC 300, Jiri Prochazka at UFC 303, and Khalil Rountree at UFC 307. Pereira beat all of his opponents via knockout as he cemented his name as one of the best MMA fighters on the planet.
However, Pereira's achievement is somewhat overshadowed by Ilia Topuria. At the start of the year, Topuria took on Alexander Volkanovski for the UFC featherweight championship and secured a second-round knockout victory.
Topuria returned to the Octagon to make his first title defence against Max Holloway at UFC 308 and secured yet another finish by stopping Holloway in the third round.
Alexander Volkanovski backs Ilia Topuria for Fighter of the Year
It is safe to say that the level of competition that Ilia Topuria has faced helped him to become the favourite for winning UFC Fighter of the Year. Speaking about the same with Ariel Helwani, Alexander Volkanovski suggested that he was backing Alex Pereira for the title before UFC 308.
However, after what Topuria did at UFC 308 against Holloway, Volkanovski has flipped his vote. He said: "The two that Ilia took out, man, finishing us both. It's hard to say, it's hard to pick against Ilia, to be honest."
"Tough for me to say because I was saying differently the last week, I was thinking it couldn't be beaten but if you think about the guys that Ilia beat [it's clear]."
Catch his comments in the clip below:
"Sometimes it's going to have to come down to level of competition."@AlexVolkanovski weighs in on the 2024 Fighter of the Year debate. pic.twitter.com/pSpijyrFzU
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) October 28, 2024
