Ilia Topuria is Fighter of the Year over Alex Pereira

Daniel Cormier argues that Ilia Topuria’s 2024 was more impressive than Alex Pereira’s.

Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) knocked out Alexander Volkanovski to claim the featherweight title at UFC 298 in February. He then retained his belt at Saturday’s UFC 308 main event by becoming the first to knock out Max Holloway. Light heavyweight champion Pereira (12-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC) fought three times in the span of six months – scoring knockouts of Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka and most recently Khalil Rountree at UFC 307.

Based on the level of competition, Cormier gives the nod to Topuria for Fighter of the Year over Pereira.

“The Fighter of the Year conversation felt like it was over,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “Like, Alex Pereira was the guy that was the Fighter of the Year, no questions asked. That’s not the case. I think that these two wins singularly are as good as any two wins anybody can have, no disrespect to Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka, and Khalil Rountree. (Topuria) just beat the two best fighters of the generation prior, but they’re still in this generation, because they’re both very, very young. He just beat two of the greatest featherweights of all time.

“There’s only three, and he beat two of them in a calendar year. Ilia Topuria is the Fighter of the Year. He is the Fighter of the Year, and in my opinion, there is no questions to be asked. That result makes it true. Paul Felder told me it would be like Alex fighting Jon (Jones) and I in our prime and knocking us both out in the same calendar year, and if I’m being completely honest, I don’t know that he could have done that. Ilia just did it. Beat those guys in their prime. It was very, very impressive.”

When asked for his pick during the UFC 308 post-fight news conference, UFC CEO Dana White was on the fence.

“I don’t know, that’s a tough one,” White said. “I’d have to look at more numbers and stats, but you know, you can’t take it away from either one of them, what they’ve done this year. I mean, Alex, when you look at Alex, he’s on vacation in Australia.

“We call him, and packs up, and heads home, and comes into the fight. I mean, he’s built different that guy. It’s like he doesn’t even care about a full camp. He doesn’t care if he’s hurt. He didn’t care about anything. He’ll get in there and fight.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.