The Fighters | 2026 Half-Year Awards

Many viewed the win as a somewhat pyrrhic victory, as it meant a date with undisputed and undefeated champion Ilia Topuria later in the year, with most anticipating that “El Matador” would spoil Gaethje’s chance at a fairytale ending and finally capture the undisputed title. But “The Highlight” had other plans and in the final bout of the historic UFC Freedom 250 event on the South Lawn of the White House, the 37-year-old American steadied himself after a rough second round and took the fight to Topuria, forcing him to bow out from his stool between the fourth and fifth rounds.

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This year’s two-pack of fights is a perfect encapsulation of Gaethje’s career: a hard-fought win over a game opponent in Pimblett who just couldn’t match his output and overall tenacity, and a gritty battle where he had to deal with getting hurt before steeling away and soldiering on. His ability to hang in against Topuria and swing the momentum back in his favor so quickly highlighted the growth he’s had since his early days in the UFC, and to see him cross that final goal off his career achievements list was something special to watch.

There really was no other choice.

2. Sean Strickland

Strickland was a near-unanimous choice for the second position after similarly earning a pair of impressive wins and a UFC title in the first half of the year.

In February, the Xtreme Couture man rolled into Houston and turned in arguably the best performance of his career, fighting with a greater sense of urgency and more ferocity than he had in recent outings to hand Anthony Hernandez a third-round stoppage loss, halting his extended winning streak. Less than three months later, he turned up in Newark, New Jersey, and handed Khamzat Chimaev the first loss of his career while claiming the UFC middleweight title for a second time.

Whether you agree with the decision in the UFC 328 main event or not, Strickland’s case for being the silver medalist at this juncture is strong regardless of the outcome, as he dominated “Fluffy” and showed Chimaev was human, while also finally showing a little of the wrestling skills we’ve always known he has, but rarely get to see.

Much like with Gaethje, what comes next for the middleweight champ is an interesting question with no clear answer, which should make for an interesting next couple of months in the 185-pound weight class.

3. Josh Hokit

When you go 3-0 and post a pair of top 15 wins, all while you’re still less than a year into your UFC journey, you’re going home from the Half-Year Awards with a medal around your neck.

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I say this every time I discuss Hokit: setting aside his personas, personality, and the things he chooses to say when there is a microphone in his vicinity, the 28-year-old heavyweight is a genuine top-end talent, and watching his rapid rise through the ranks has been impressive.

The Dana White’s Contender Series Season 9 grad started the year by beating Denzel Freeman at UFC 324, then ventured to Miami and turned in one of the best fights of the first half in a win over Curtis Blaydes before wrapping things up with a second-round finish of Derrick Lewis at the White House last month. The 28-year-old heavyweight is now 4-0 in the UFC and 10-0 as a pro, with only marquee assignments ahead of him.