Slacky Awards Nominations

How about a Sokoudjou of the year award?

Suggestion: You should make opposite versions of all of these categories, such as worst game plan of the year, most devolved fighter, etc.

Don’t really get all the noms for yan vs merab when yan did literally nothing he hasn’t done before. Just did the yan stuff but with no broken hand

It’s the 1st Jack, release the files

Gameplan- Yan vs Merab, shout out Morales for correctly having 0 respect for Brady's striking Turnaround- Talbott deserves credit for developing very good wrestling in the space of a few months but the boy Chris Duncan needs a mention Breakout Technique- banging wrestlers' bodies/putting yourself in a good position to defend the shot in the first place ie JDM dipping jab, Morales hips back and hands down Silly cunt- Jailton for forgetting you're allowed to strike from top position every fight

Gameplan - Yan Merab Technical turnaround - Talbot for going from getting out wrestled to having great wrestling defense but being more hesitant on the feet to putting it all together Breakout technique - body jabbing wrestlers as seen in JDM vs Belal, Hughes vs Nurmagomedov, and Yan vs Merab But why award - Alex pereira conceding to pressure the entire time vs ankalaev and losing for 25 minutes when he could’ve just gone forward and trusted his power and won easily the first time. Also Hughes losing via Dubai once vs Usman and being totally unprepared for dealing with losing to Dubai again in the rematch.

Gameplan: Jiri tiring out Khalil with 2 rounds of technical getting-his-ass-kicked and then buttonmashing for 3 minutes. Or maybe Petr Yan vs Merab (2)? I'd have to rewatch it to try to see what was gameplan and what was him doing his usual things but I feel like he came into the rematch very well-prepared to deal with Merab. Turnaround: Islam beating a high level fighter who's not a former featherweight. Breakout Technique: Spinning shit. Mainly elbows as others have pointed out but I remember at least a few notable backfists as well, e.g., Vallejos vs whoever he just fought. But Why: Even Tie Between Salt Papi And Warren Spencer For Daring To Step Into The Ring Across From The B.O.A.T. -CSO-

Technical turnaround: CSO Tony Ferguson

Gameplan: jiri absorbing two rounds of bombs just to figure out the trick. (Kick my ass and see what happens) Technical turnaround: i think peyton talbott, from early 2025 and being ragdolled on the ground, to hitting an Olympic gold medalists favourite takedown against him in the same year. Breakout technique is absolutely spinning elbow as there was 7/8 in major promotions. But why... jose Medina waving forward abu Gautier, whilst already hurt, only to get melted 5 seconds later haha

Game plan - Gary vs prates

I'm a casual-ass fuck, so I'll just nominate next year's 1)tech 2)gameplan of the year 1) it'll be craig's octopus 2.0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhZJxhmSx-Q 2) it'll be JDM octopussing Islam repeatedly to win back the WW belt

Gameplan: Yan vs Merab. JDM vs Belal would be a good choice as well Technical turnaround: Melky Costa Breakout Technique: Spinning Elbow lol But Why?: Edwards shooting a desperation shot against Brady which led to him eventually getting submitted I will say that while it shouldn't win gameplan of the year, I think Pereira 's simple solution of putting the pressure on Ankalaev and forcing him to be on the backdoor/retreat for the entirety of the (admittedly very short) fight deserves some praise

Gameplan = ian garry vs belal or Yan vs merab Turnaround = Paddy Break out tekkers = Adapting guards for the occasions, eg Yans guard vs merab and Garries guard vs belal - I reckon we'll see more fighters adjust like this in the future

Gameplan OTY - Petr Yan and his coach's flowchart Technical turnaround - Islam's discovery of creatine Breakout Technique - Countering clinch knees with sasaes (I stole this from Will from Open Note Grappling but it has been really prevalent this year) ...but why? - Johnny Walker shooting straight into bottom position against Zhang Mingyang in the opening second of their fight. He later won, but it was still really funny.

Breakout Technique: 1 - stalling in top half guard. Stalling in guard has been around forever, but this year we saw a lot of fighters "retreating" back to half guard from more "dominant" positions so they could maintain the pin at the expense of getting to a position where they could potentially finish. 2 - spinning elbows when you're backed up to the cage, and the opponent steps in swinging. We saw a ton this year. 3 - switching stance to calf kick on both sides. Hardwick vs Fernandes being the most extreme example. Stance switching and calf kicking have both been popular for a while, and we've seen guys switch stance after being hurt with calf kicks since they became popular, but this year I noticed lots of times where this happened and the other fighter just switched stance as well and started calf kicking the other leg. 4 - inside body triangle. Taira's leading the charge, but lots of other people doing it this year too. Probably next year's breakout technique.

Breakout Techniques: A) "Control" It's been around forever but fighters now seem to reallyunderstand that it's easier to get points for just staying on top or outright stalling than to try to get the same 10-9 score card by also doing damage. Honestly, this can be fixed so easily by just saying a position is worth nothing and if it's a good position you will score more and your opponent will score less in it. But until this super obvious fix is made this will just stay a winning move. B) Double eye poke. Why poke one eye when you can poke both and get the same warning and the opponent can't as easily compensate for vision issues with the unpoked eye.

Game plan of the year Pereira vs big Ank 2(just hit him) Breakout technique: the eye poke Most improved fighter: Melquizael Costa But why?: Marlon Vera’s strategy/urgency(or lack there of) against Aiemann Zahabi Or Merab fighting yan with a broken hand and norovirus OR Belal comparing himself to Epstein

But why? Puja tomar putting herself back into shauna bannons armbar and getting herself submitted after a heavy knockdown

Game plan: yan vs merab Breakout technique: spinning back elbow Most improved fighter: Joshua Van But why?: Leon Edwards (shooting a takedown against Brady or not trying to grapple prates in the 2nd round)

Game plan - Pereira vs Ankalaev 1, throwing a wrench in the gears of a dominant champion with. Breakout technique- knees to the belly, both RDR and Prates. Honourable mention to double eyepokes. Most improved - Joshua Van But why - DDP vs Chimaev, gambling on your opponent to gas out after laying on you in a championship fight?

Gameplan of the Year: Has to be Yan vs Merab, right? Very much exposed Merab as a guy without much ability to adjust when his initial plans aren't working. How can you not give the Slacky Award to a guy who takes away and A Game and exposes very little B game? Technical Turnaround: Payton Talbott takes it for me as a guy who is set up to be a dope striker who believes his own bullshit and fails to adapt, or adapts in the wrong ways. Instead, Talbott looks like a genuinely awesome grappler now. Really impressive, targeted improvements. Breakout Technique: Reactive Spinning Elbows, perhaps? They're nothing new but there's been something upwards of five this year where aggressive plodders run themselves head-first into shards of bone. But Why...?: O'Malley's second Merab performance comes to mind. He just looked absolutely rattled the entire time, still doing fairly smart stuff moment-to-moment but with this skittish panic that he didn't have the first time. Footwork actively worsened as a result, just way less confident. Edwards vs Brady also very much here - why the fuck would you actively try and shoot on this guy, when you're so strong at range and in the clinch? Seemed unwilling/unable to maximise his win conditions. Deeply frustrating, stupid performance.

“But why?” - category Ank vs Alex Ank literally backed up to the cage and let Alex load up a big ass punch and didn’t do anything to stop it, literally tried to throw a counter way too late, didn’t do jack shit. Completely embarrassed.

jdm vs belal for gameplan of the year bless

Technical turnaround honorable mention: Waldo Cortes-Acosta

For game plan a lot of people are suggesting Yan vs Merab 2, but I think that was more of an excellent execution of a straightforward game plan. I like Poatan vs Ank 2, that’s a fight that looked totally different because one fighter fought differently the second time.

Gameplan- petr yan Technical turn- Payton Talbott Breakout Tech- Spinning elbow along the fence But why- DDP having no answers for Khamzats A game

Gameplan of the year: islam vs JDM, mostly for the effectiveness of his leg kicks in shutting JDM out of the fight Technical turnaround: Cyril gane for defeating tom Aspinall with... Breakout technique: eye pokes Not really breakout but having a renaissance But why award: all women's fights this year, especially Zhang Wei Li coz I put 30 dollars on her beating Valentina, before she made me suspect that there's no word in Mandarin for "ringcraft"

Gameplan could go to JDM/Belal or Yan/Merab 2. Breakout technique just has to be the spinning elbow. What a fucking year for it. "But why?" should be all of team Lobo for daring to ask the question "Is footwork real and can it hurt me?" Technical turnaround....I dunno man. Could probably be Payton Talbot in all seriousness. But, the silly goose in me says it should go to Van for finding the one weakness of Pantoja (invisible banana peels). The Justin Gaethje of "you need at least 2 men to r*pe me", bless.

Gameplan: Petr Yan vs Merab. Technical Turnaround:Waldo Cortes Acosta for learning to bonk people. Breakout Technique: 100% Spinning Back Elbow, but in my heart Step In Knees. But Why?: Jean Silva vs Lopes

Nominating my self for "called it of the year" by correctly calling that Gordon Ryan coerced an underage Nicky to have sex with his wife to satisfy his cuck fetish. I commented this on one of ur posts like half a year ago but cant find it because patreon is garbage :(

Piss Poor fight IQ - Anyone who fought Valter Valker this year.

Gameplan of the year: Sedrique Dumas. Be arrested for multiple felonies, change the pronunciation of your name at some point I don't remember (seriously, did they always call him "sed-REE-kay DOO-mis"? Am I having my fourteenth stroke?), lose two more fights anyway but manage to be kept on the UFC roster so I guess it worked.

gameplan of the year has to be khamzat somehow knowing ddp did not know how to escape the crucifix

Game plan of the year: Alex Pereira aggressively walking Ankalaev down and not letting him get anything going

Technical turnaround: Henry Cejudo started the year off looking like a no longer elite but still reasonably competitive older fighter and ended the year looking like a total bum

Breakout technique: releasing medical records to prove you were really fouled

But why: Alexandre Pantoja for breaking his own arm instead of just doing a cool somersault or something to get his foot off van’s shoulder

Gameplan of the Year - BSD vs Ruffy. Although predictable, he executed it to perfection and mauled Ruffy despite being sizable underdog Turnaround - Have to say Van. Didn’t change a ton, but to go from losing to Charles Johnson brutally to winning 4 fights and the belt is incredible. That Royval performance was elite. Technique - Being from Mexico to farm infinite title shots Piss Poor IQ - Leon Edwards shooting a takedown vs Brady is all We have to say

Gameplan has got to go to either Peytr Yan or Poatan (for just running at Ank and unloading right out of the gate) Technical turnaround for Payton Talbot Breakout technique has got to be the spinning elbow or the 12-6 elbow. Poor fight IQ could go to Carlos Prates for smoking so many cigarettes that he forgot how to ground and pound a nearly dead Ian Garry. It could go to Shang and her whole team for being convinced that one big right hand was the only move to use on Valentina. It could go to all the refs this year for the worst (sketchiest...) year of MMA reffing in recent memory.

But why - Charles Olivera walking his chinny ass right up to Ilia Topuria and reaching for those grapes

Technical Turnaround - BSD for becoming a patient grindy boi Gameplan - JDM vs Belal because it’s a fight I was at and it fits the criteria Breakout technique - inactivity, turns out you don’t need to do anything to win

...But Why... Ortega almost dying the day before and still fighting Gerald Meerschaert's plan of losing until he wins meets the inevitable conclusion of losing... and then losing harder. Chidi Njokuani coming in on the hottest run in his life, only to look like he's never fought before against Jake Matthews. Jake Matthews submitting Magny, and then being submitted by Magny (and other the fights of this nature) my WINNER: Buckley having no apparent game plan for 75 year old Kamaru Usman, who likely has the most available footage of any fighter currently going.

Breakout technique: Broomstick takedown with added kick out of leg. (Taira, Sabatini) Body triangle still hasn't been nerfed Cheating your ass off without repercussions

Gameplan of the year: Yan vs Merab 2 Breakout Technique: Crab ride is cool now But Why? : Nevada appointing a judge with 0 monopoly-related experience to take on the Zuffa monopoly case

Technical turnaround: Merab could be in consideration. Adding front chokes for his front headlock, being much more willing to combo, and mat return off of the cage Pat Sabatini doing his usual bullshit but better. Manel Kape *Scottish accent* huge fuckin titties Aimenn Zahabi being as fundamentally sound as possible, when he's clearly the least physically imposing fighter in the division sadly. MODESTAS BUKAUKAS NOT GETTING SUBMITTED BY PAUL CRAIG

Game plans of the year: Ankalaev winning the lead hand battle with Poatan by staying southpaw Poatan kicking the lead leg of Ank, forcing him to change stance, hot out the gate to chin him. Paddy reminding Chandler that what he's doing should be illegal, kicking him from across the ring for the first hour and then fighting him. MY WINNER: Khalil Rountree forcing Hill to use his shambling footwork and making him pay for it. Refusing to give Hill the one fight he could win.

Breakout technique: Team Viselius toe kicking fools in the liver or back leg (tie) with the same guys calf kicking the standing leg of everyone kicking them

Most improved fighter: Nabil Anane

Gameplan: Yoza Vs Superlek

technical turnaround- khamzat chimaev for learning to sit on people instead of being dangerous and exciting

but why award- jiri waiting 2.5 rounds to start pressuring and winning effortlessly against rountree

gameplan of the year- dana using his political clout with trump and ellison to get the massive paramount deal despite a year of piss poor fight cards

breakout technique- gane's elaborate double eyepoke

But why: Leon Edwards shooting on Brady

Gameplan: Yan vs Merab 2 Most Improved: Melqi Costa is on a hell of a run ATM, a long ways from dogging out against Thiago Moises on short notice up a class Breakout Technique: the spinning elbow But Why?: Rizin ruining Chihiro Suzuki by having him in 3 wars within six months and leaving him to take a hiatus until mid 2026

Gameplan: Obviously it's Yan vs Merab, but JDM vs Belal and RDR vs Whittaker deserve a mention. Breakout Technique: The ankle kick from that dude in muay thai, I can't see that not catching on in a big way.

Gameplan: Yan v Merab II, Fluffy v Dolidze (tho dolidze kinda sucks anyways), Zhang v Suarez Most Improved: Peyton Talbott, idk if it counts since he's still developing but yeah, melky Costa Technique: HW heel hooks, real answer is the giftwrap & elbows from mount though we didn't see it much, Yoza kick cuz hell yeah But why: anyone who shoots with 10secs left while losing

Beatdown of the year. Analyst of the year Debut

Breakout technique: ground and pound, in 2025.

Breakout tecnique - shooting constantly and doing fuckall damage wise (bad ending)

- gameplay: Yan vs Merab 2 - technical turnaround: Payton Talbot - breakout technique: Yoza kick - but why : DDP performance vs Chimaev

Petr Yan for his ‘be Petr Yan’ gameplan vs Merab

5 lb Weight Miss-to-Double Bicep Flex of the Year: Kelvin Gastelum at Noche UFC

Breakout technique has to be the "just get up" routine of going back to your base and standing up, with no guard play whatsoever. Just look at the super stacked bantamweight division, where they ALL do that now.

Gameplan - Garry vs Prates Most improved - Payton Talbott Technique - spinning elbows But why - UFC matchmaking

Despite winning, the "...But Why?" Award has to go to Jiri Prochazka

Breakout technique is the pacifist crucifix from Chimaev. Blessed are the peacemakers fr

Most improved has to be Mackenzie Dern right?

Near side under hook for breakout technique of the year

Fluffy vs dolidze for gameplay of the year

Breakout Technique: Topuria brothers actual solid boxing technique with tucked chin and hands up 😅

Dolidze game plan against vettori was insanely high level, deffo calls for a third fight, fingers crossed White House card

-Gameplan of the year: petr yan vs merab - Technical Turnaround (Most Improved Fighter): Joshua van - Breakout Technique: that yuki yoza snap kick thing to the inside of the rear leg. - "...But Why?" Award for Piss Poor Fight IQ: Unfortunately, Charles Oliviera against Ilia.

"But why award for lowering my fight iq" dern vs Jandriroba 2.

Gameplan: 1. Yan vs Merab 2. Pereira vs Ank 2 3. Malott vs Holland Most Improved 1. Melquizael Costa 2. Payton Talbott 3. Vulcan Oezdemir (finally throwing combinations) Breakout Technique: 1. Flagrantly cheating to win fights (Dober, Malott, Kape, Gane, etc.) 2. Stalling in half/crucifix 3. Spinning back elbow/fist Fuck ass Fight IQ 1. Jean Silva getting emotional while landing the whole toolbox on Diego 2. Sean O'Malley anti goon strategies against Merab 3. Kennedy Nzechukwu attempting the breakout cheating technique during the brief "we're cracking down on cheating" era we are in post aspinal eye poke

Gameplan: Sleeper pick Fluffy vs Dolidze. Fluffy repeatedly denying Dolidze his only avenue of winning (K Guard) by battering him from Turtle and standing up whenever Dolidze recovered guard. If not, Garry vs Prates, Yan vs Merab, JDM vs Belal Technical Turnaround: Payton Talbott, Melquizael Costa, Jiri Prochazka (learning head movement) Breakout technique: Eye pokes/intentionally fouling. Or Spinning stuff, specifically elbows but there were zome nice wheel kicks and backfists (eg. Ruffy and Vallejos, respectively) But Why: Hill vs Rountree, Pantoja vs Van (as much as it pains me to say it), Diego Lopes still not learning to cut the cage vs Volk, Dana White for making me stay up till 5 am to watch Aspinall get eye poked round 1 Sorry for the paragraph. Love the work, Slacky

gameplans of the year both made by Brad Riddell for Volk VS Lopes and Zhang VS Suarez

Game plan of the year - RDR breaking down Bo Nickal with knees to the body?

But why award for Jean silva running headfirst into a spinning elbow

Spinning elbow as a counter for the break out technique (Diego Lopez, Murphy ect). Petr yan vs merab for gameplan

Perhaps a very hot take but I think Ian Garry might be most improved fighter. His super power of making everyone he fights look like shit is getting OP.

Spinning shit for break out technique. Idk why but spinning shit has made quite the comeback this year

Surely Yan merits some recognition for solving the seemingly impossible Dvalashvili puzzle through a thoughtful, gritty and disciplined approach. And Max Holloway for continuing to remain so impressive in open defiance of time and mileage.

I'll shout-out Reinier de Ridder vs Robert Whitaker for the gameplan of the year

-JDM vs Belal -Melquizael Costa -Uncs on TRT -Jamahal Hil against Khalil Rountree

I’ve barely watched any fights this year but for gameplan of the year I was really impressed with Ian Garry vs prates - keeping the left hand at home with kicks etc. I’d also say JDM vs Belal is another one worth a mention

It might be recency bias, but I feel like gameplan has to go to Yan for his rematch with Merab.

Talbot most improved

Break out technique is spinning elbow

Controversial "But Why", could be Pantoja breaking fall with an outstretched arm instead of break falling

Game plan of the year has to Yan

for me, Payton Talbott deserves the award for most improved. Holy cow he looked MARVELOUS against (washed) Cejudo

Joshua van gameplan of the year for perfectly calculating the angle at which to throw Pantoja to snap his shit