UFC Half-Year Awards: Top 5 fights

The UFC has announced their Top 5 Fights for the Half Year Awards, as reported by Thomas Gerbasi for UFC.com.

#5: Chase Sherman vs. Rashad Coulter

Chase Sherman is getting plenty of attention in the heavyweight division after back-to-back wins, but before that first win over Rashad Coulter, he was in tight spot considering that he was 0-2 to start his UFC career.

#4: Jessica Andrade vs. Angela Hill

February’s strawweight bout between Jessica Andrade and Angela Hill was a shutout on the judges’ scorecards for Andrade, but I guarantee that if you asked Bate Estaca about the three-round scrap, she’ll admit that she was in a fight. And what a fight it was, as Hill showed off her impressive technique on the feet while Andrade brought out the style that had many comparing her to Wanderlei Silva.

#3: David Teymur vs. Lando Vannata

David Teymur received 30-27 scores across the board en route to the biggest win of his career. But this was no blowout, as both fighters went for it for 15 minutes and left a hard act for headliners Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson to follow.

#2: Tim Elliott vs. Louis Smolka

This is a fight to be shown to non-believers, and this group of skeptics is comprised of the ones who say, Oh man, the ground fighting is boring. Not in the hands of Elliott and Smolka.

https://twitter.com/ufc/status/853371277955837952

#1: Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Johnson

With all the hype surrounding Gaethje’s UFC debut and the burden of him having to live up to his past efforts, there was no way he was going to deliver. But he did. As did Johnson, and when they were done staggering each other and nearly putting an end to the bout on several occasions, it was Gaethje emerging victorious via second-round TKO.

Coming next … Half-Year Awards: The Knockouts and The Newcomers.