Justin Gaethje, Joshua Van among stars making UFC Fighter of the Year race a heated debate — SkimNews
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- Justin Gaethje scored two upset wins in 2026, defeating unbeaten Paddy Pimblett in January and then Ilia Topuria at the White House in June to claim the undisputed lightweight championship, overcoming early adversity in both fights.
- Joshua Van erased doubts about his flyweight title legitimacy — earned when Alexandre Pantoja was injured 26 seconds into their UFC 323 bout — by defending the belt as a +145 underdog against Tatsuro Taira (fifth-round TKO, Fight of the Night) and then outworking Pantoja in their rematch.
- Josh Hokit is positioned to cap a rapid rise from unknown to champion: he opened the year by beating Denzel Freeman at UFC 324, then won what CBS Sports calls a candidate for heavyweight fight of the year against Curtis Blaydes in April, followed by a June win over Derrick Lewis.
- Ciryl Gane vs. Josh Hokit is scheduled for UFC 334 in November for the heavyweight title vacated by Tom Aspinall due to injuries; a Hokit win would put him 4-0 in the calendar year and potentially complete one of the fastest rises to a UFC title.
- Sean Strickland also staked a claim by reclaiming the middleweight title with a pair of upset wins, though CBS's three voting experts ultimately chose Gaethje, Van, and Hokit as their top picks.
- CBS Sports panel split their votes three ways: Brian Campbell for Gaethje, Brent Brookhouse for Van, and Brandon Wise for Hokit — with Brookhouse conceding Gaethje's case is strong but arguing Van's wins over elite flyweights carry no asterisks.
Why it matters: The split vote underscores how unusual 2026 is for UFC: Brian Campbell, Brent Brookhouse, and Brandon Wise each backed a different contender, with Hokit's November heavyweight title fight at UFC 334 still capable of reshaping the race before year's end. A Hokit championship would mark a near-unprecedented January-to-November arc from unknown to titleholder.
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