Champs Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, previous winner Maynard nominated for ESPY Awards

[BluenoseGreig]

Two UFC champs again are in the running for an ESPY.

Light heavyweight champ Jon Jones and middleweight champ Anderson Silva are among the nominees for "Best Fighter" at the 2012 ESPN Espy Awards. Additionally, MMA fighter Kyle Maynard, who won for "Best Male Athlete with a Disability" at the 2004 awards, was nominated again in the category.

Fans can vote on the winners from now through July 9, and the awards show airs on ESPN on July 11.

Jones and Silva are joined in the "Best Fighter" pool by standout boxers Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Andre Ward.

Maynard, who was nominated this year when he became the first quadruple amputee to reach the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro without assistance, goes up against Baxer Humby, a muay Thai fighter with one arm; Ray Martin, a wheelchair track-and-field athlete; Oz Sanchez, a cyclist; and Tyler Walker, an alpine skier.

Jones previously was nominated for the award in 2011, while Silva drew a nod in 2009.

The "Best Fighter" award thus far has eluded mixed martial artists since the category was created in 2007 to replace the "Best Boxer" category that had been in place since 1993. Since then, Mayweather Jr. has won the honor three times, while Manny Pacquiao has won it twice.

"It's an honor to not only be nominated for the ESPY for Best Fighter, but to also be included in a category with some of the greatest fighters in MMA and boxing history," Jones stated in a press release issued today by his reps.

Past MMA nominees for "Best Fighter" include Georges St-Pierre, Lyoto Machida, Quinton Jackson and Randy Couture.

The ESPY Awards, founded in 1993, honor the best achievements, moments and leading athletes of the previous year. Fan voting for the 33 award categories, including "Best Fighter" and "Best Upset," is open now at the ESPY Awards official website, and the awards ceremony takes place July 11 at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. The show airs live on ESPN for the second-consecutive year and will be hosted by Rob Riggle of "The Daily Show" fame.

http://mmajunkie.com/news/29410/cham...spy-awards.mma

[Red Tex]

Anderson has tried everything possible to get out of fighting Sonnen. His last win was against Okami which was like a year ago. How in the world does ANderson get nominated for this award at this current time?? Seriously? Years past maybe, but not for the last 12 months at all.

Jon Jones should win this hands down. WHy is Maynard even nominated??


This should be out of Jon Jones or Junior Dos Santos.

[BluenoseGreig]

I agree with you on Anderson, Tex. He surely needs to have been active in the last 12 months.

Kyle Maynard is in the category for Best Male Athlete with a Disability, don't know much about it to say if he should or should not be nominated!!