The WMMA Awards: The Fan Favorite Nominees

The second annual Women's MMA awards, presented by the WMMA Press Association, has begun revealing its nominees for the best in fighting of 2010.

Voting has opened for the "Fan Favorite of the Year" award, in which fans pick their favorite wmma superstar. People can vote for their fighter by going to the front page of "Women Talk Sports" later this week, or go to two of WTS affiliate sites, MMARising.com and MySportsgeeks.com.

Before you vote, here are the nominees and a little background of their year and contribution to you, the fans.

Sarah Kaufman made a huge impact on women's mma this year, literally. After KO-ing Roxanne Modafferi this past July, the clip was featured on Sportscenter's Top 10 Plays of the Week, something that no women's MMA clip has done. Kaufman won the first ever 135 pound title this past February in a five round match with top contender Takayo Hashi. Kaufman ended the year on a down note, losing the title to Marloes Coenen this past October due to a third round armbar.

Her fan contribution:

Kaufman has been actively promotion women in the sport, and making sure that they get a fair shake. 

Her twitter: http://twitter.com/mmaSarah

Her website: http://www.sarahkaufman.ca/

Cris "Cyborg" Santos continued her dominance in the 145 pound division this year, but only fought twice defending her title. After defeating the number 1 contender Marloes Coenen in January, Strikeforce made an interesting pick in 135 pounder Jan Finney as a title challenger. Cyborg would defeat Finney handily. Coming into 2011, the question is who will be next Cyborg to defend the title.

Her fan contribution:

Winning "Fighter of the Year" on the World MMA Awards, Cyborg is one of the best known fighters in the sport.

Her twitter: http://twitter.com/CrisCyborg

Her website: http://criscyborg.com/

Megumi Fujii was the most anticipated foreign fighter to hit the states since Fedor, and she didn't disappoint. Doing something that no MMA fighter, male or female, has ever done, she went an undefeated 22-0. Fujii was able to finish off Sarah Schneider in her Bellator debut, getting her first tko victory. Fujii would run rough shot through the Bellator tournament, getting armbar victories over Carla Esparza and #5 ranked Lisa Ward. Her streak would end in the finals of the Bellator tournament, losing a close split decision to Zoila Frausto.

Her fan contribution:

Fujii coming to the U.S. has been one of the big headlines of the year. Many mma fans who didn't know the phenom that is Fujii became fans and drew more people to watching the sport.

Twitter: http://twiter.com/MegaMeguCat

Website: http://www.megumifujii.com/

Zoila Frausto was the busiest of the five nominees this year, having fought seven different fighters in three different weight classes. After defeating Jessica Rakoczy via armbar in her first ever submission win in February, she would lose to fellow nominee Miesha Tate the same way in March. After a win due to an injury stoppage over Michelle Ould,  she would enter Bellator with a very memorable knockout of then #2 ranked Rosi Sexton, which was one of the most watched clips Bellator has ever had.

Entering the tournament, Frausto would get decision wins to become the Bellator 115 pound champ. A unanimous victory of ranked fighter Jessica Pene, a controversial split decision over Jessica Aguilar, and a close split decision of then undefeated Megumi Fujii. 

Her fan contribution:

Having one of the biggest Bellator highoights, as she ko'ed top ranked Rosi Sexton, Frausto has gain a lot of momentum and is the current Bellator 115 pound champion.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ZoilaFrausto

Website: http://www.myspace.com/zfrausto1

Miesha Tate has grown as a fighter in 2010 and had an exceptional year. Successfully defending her Freestyle Cage Fighting title verses Valerie Coolbaugh in January via an armbar victory, Tate would defeat fellow nominee Zoila Frausto also via armbar in March.

Strikeforce held its first ever women's grand prix in August, with Tate taking the belt with decision wins over Maiju Kujala and #8 ranked Hitomi Akano. With the tournament victory, Tate looks forward to facing Strikeforce champion Marloes Coenen in February.

Her fan contributions:

Tate has been a multi-media representative of the sport, appearing on national television and is a brand ambassador for Strikeforce MMA.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/MieshaTate

Website: http://takedowntate.ning.com/

Shayna Baszler opened the year with an interesting twister submission win verses Megumi Yabushita in the opeing round of the Freestyle Cage Fighting 135 pound grand prix. In a match of the year candidate, Baszler had a hard fought decision victory over top ranked fighter Alexis Davis in the semi-finals in March. Baszler would win the finals of the tournament, defeating A.J. Jenkins via armbar, gaining herself a Strikeforce contract.

Baszler would end the year with kneebar submission over highly touted Elaina Maxwell; making her 4-0 in 2010.

Her fan contribution:

Baszler co-hosts a weekly online show on MMADiehards.com and is very active on twitter.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/QoSBaszler

Website: http://mmadiehards.com/radio/not-a-womens-mma-show-nawmma-with-shayna-baszler/

It’s been a roller coast ride for Roxanne Modafferi, who has seen her share of successes and losses in 2010. Modafferi defeat Molly Helsel via rear naked choke to open the year, with the match being a Fight of the Year candidate.

If that wasn’t enough, her split decision win over top ranked Tara LaRosa in May is also a candidate for fight of the year. The match earned her a title shot verses Strikeforce champion Sarah Kaufman, but wound up on the losing end, getting knocked out in of the biggest highlights in women’s mma history.

Her fan contribution:

Modafferi has regular chat sessions with her fans, and is an active blogger and tweeter.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/RoxyFighter

Website: http://www.roxannemodafferi.net/

Jessica Aguilar defeated Valerie Coolbaugh via rear naked choke in March, and Catia Victoria by triangle choke in June; and soon signed to the Bellator 115 pound tournament. She would defeat ranked Lynn Alvarez via another triangle choke in the opening round of the tournament, making it her third straight submission of the year.

In what was one of the most controversial matches of the year, Aguilar would lose to top ranked Zoila Frausto in what many considered a victory for Aguilar. She would end the year on the winning end, defeating Elsie Henri via armbar.

Her fan contribution:

JAG is active on twitter and Facebook, plus has been very accessible to the media this year.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/JAGATT

Website: http://jessicaaguilar.com/

Marloes Coenen only had two fights this past year, and both were title matches. Coenen would fall to Cyborg Santos, but had the distinction of going to longest time in the cage verse the Strikeforce champion. She would drop to the 135 pound division and defeat Strikeforce champion Sarah Kaufman via third round armbar.

Her fan contribution:

Coenen has become the role model for women’s mma in Europe. She was given a hero’s welcome in her native Holland after winning the title.

Website: http://marloescoenen.com/ 

Tara LaRosa had two matches this year, but both were fun to watch. Her loss to Roxanne Modafferi is a contender for Fight of the Year, which was a highly talked about match for months. Her defeat of Takayo Hashi was also a technical but entertaining match.

Her fan contribution:

LaRosa is very active on twitter, and her tweets are opinioned and honest. She also has been one of the best in the sport for many years, and is one of the standard bearers in the sport.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/TaraLaRosa

Website: http://www.taralarosa.net/

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• Martial Arts, MMA

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• 2010 WMMA Awards