Kingdom MMA Awards 2013: Fight of the Year

Kingdom MMA Fight of the Year Award 2013: Jones vs Gustafsson
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

The general consensus amongst fans is that 2013 has been one of, if not the best years in MMA history. From The UFC, to Bellator and on and on, we have witnessed fights that will stick in fans memories for many years to come.

Fans have been blessed with epic fights this year with the UFC serving up classics like Bermudez vs Grice, Melendez vs Sanchez and Silva vs Hunt. Bellator have done their bit too by giving us Chandler vs Alverez 2, the Axis TV broadcasted local shows gave us Leonard Garcia vs Nick Gonzalez at Legacy 23, and literally every single women’s fight this year can only be described as frigging awesome.

Not to be outdone, UK MMA got in on the action too, with Cage Warriors delivering brilliant fights between Jordan Desborough and Brett Johns, as well as Danny Roberts vs Hendry Fadipe. Bamma had the short but sweet Barnaoui vs Fletcher, while Ashley Reece and Martin Chester put on one of the best amateur bouts of all time at FCC 8.

But when it’s all said and done, the one fight that stuck in the minds of the staff at Kingdom MMA was Jon Jones vs Alexander Gustafsson.

One of the most exciting title fights of all time, Jones vs Gustafsson was a war, a five-round battle of precise strikes and hard-nosed chins – a war!

Back and forth two warriors wen to toe-to-toe, one the pound-4-pound king of MMA, the other one a huge underdog which no one gave a chance going in to the fight. Jones vs Gustafsson is MMAs equivalent to Rocky Balboa vs Apollo Creed.

Gustafsson took the fight to Jones, he landed a crisp jab all night, and become the fight fighter to ever take Jones down in the UFC; in fact many people actually thought Gustafsson won.

Whoever you thought won the fight there is no disputing that Jones and Gustafsson put on one hell of a fight, with both man showing the heart of a champion - here’s hoping to a rematch in 2014.

Congratulations to both Jones and Gustaffason for the fight of the year performance.