Welcome to MMAmania’s 2026 Mid-Year Awards!
Can you believe 2026 is already halfway over?
With six months of jaw-dropping action behind us, it is time to celebrate the fighters, fights and moments that have lit up the mixed martial arts (MMA) world so far this year. From stunning upsets and bone-crunching knockouts to rising stars and masterful submissions, 2026 has already delivered plenty of unforgettable highlights.
Let’s dive into the breakout fighter of the year so far.
Breakout fighter of the year: Josh Hokit
At the start of 2026, Josh
Hokit was an unranked UFC Heavyweight with just one fight inside the Octagon.
That is very different now.
Hokit kicked off his year at UFC 324 against Denzel Freeman, securing the first stoppage via flipping the bird.
Just kidding, Freeman was exhausted and could not continue, but still, it was an impressive win. It also introduced a much larger audience to Hokit’s over-the-top, cornball characters and wild post-fight personality.
Then came the real test.
Hokit received a massive step up against Top 5-ranked Curtis Blaydes, and instead of getting exposed, he delivered one of the best fights of the year. Hokit went toe-to-toe with the longtime Heavyweight contender for three hard rounds and walked away with a unanimous decision win.
That performance vaulted him into UFC Freedom 250, where he stopped Derrick Lewis for his third win of 2026 (watch highlights).
Now, Hokit is ranked in the Top 5 and could be sitting on the doorstep of a Heavyweight title shot with one more big win.
He may be annoying. He may be over the top. And yes, the gimmicks can be a lot.
But he is walking the walk, he is a very good fighter, and through the first half of the year, he is the clear choice for MMAmania’s “Breakout Fighter of the Year.”
Here are a few honorable mentions:
Quillan Salkilld
Australia’s Quillan Salkilld had a fantastic rookie year in 2025 that included a violent, viral head-kick knockout (watch it). But this year, he has truly made the jump from fun prospect to one of the most exciting fighters to watch in the Lightweight division.
Salkilld started the year unranked, and that is no longer the case.
He kicked off 2026 by submitting Jamie Mullarkey in the first round, then punched his ticket into the rankings by starching longtime contender Beneil Dariush at UFC Perth (watch highlights)
Now, Salkilld is set for his first UFC main event against the always tough Mateusz Gamrot on Aug. 8.
That is a real breakout.
Joselyne Edwards
Panama’s Joselyn Edwards signed with UFC in 2021 and had a somewhat forgettable, but successful, run for several years.
That changed recently.
After snapping a two-fight losing streak in 2023, something clicked. Edwards started finishing opponents, building momentum and quietly becoming a real problem in the women’s Bantamweight division.
She kicked off 2026 by submitting Nora Cornolle to jump into the No. 12 spot, then two months later took a short-notice fight against No. 3-ranked Norma Dumont, who was riding a six-fight win streak and closing in on a title shot.
Edwards won via unanimous decision as a +200 underdog and now finds herself ranked No. 3 at Bantamweight.
She might even be in line for the next title shot.
Lone’er Kavanagh
Lone’er Kavanagh entered 2026 coming off the first loss of his career, a knockout defeat to Charles Johnson that slowed down a lot of his hype (watch highlights).
Then he completely changed the conversation.
On short notice, Kavanagh stepped in to face former two-time Flyweight champion Brandon Moreno in enemy territory and dominated him, leaving Moreno a bloody mess.
Now, Kavanagh sits at No. 6 in the Flyweight rankings and has a massive fight lined up against No. 4-ranked former title challenger Brandon Royval at UFC 329.
One win over Royval, and Kavanagh could suddenly be right in the title mix.
Uros Medic
Serbia’s Uros Medic entered 2026 as an unranked Welterweight, but that changed in a hurry.
Medic got a huge opportunity against longtime ranked contender Geoff Neal in the co-main event of UFC Houston and made the most of it, sleeping Neal in just 69 seconds (watch highlights).
Now, Medic is booked to headline the first UFC card in Serbia against Daniel Rodriguez.
That is a pretty wild jump in just a few months.
Are any of these fighters the breakout fighter of the year? Let us know below!
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