World MMA Awards: Shape Up or Ship Out

Last night, the second annual live World MMA Awards took place at The Pearl Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

Many MMA websites reported the show would be on Versus at 7:30 PT. But, as many confused fans came to realize, it was actually Versus.com.

Apparently, the show will be televised on Versus a week after actually happening (taking some brilliant advice from Spike TV, are we?).

Like any meaningless award show—which is basically every award show—the event was filled with obscure cameos telling pathetic jokes read off a teleprompter while a bored audience forced themselves to chuckle in between checking their cell phones for the time.

The guests of honor included such notables as Steve-O, Pauly Shore, Mike Epps, Jerry Rice and, of course, Dana White—who in the strangest of fate's twists has become a legitimate celebrity.

If you had a chance to check out the award categories and nominees, it should come as no surprise that anyone involved in MMA isn't taking this stuff all that serious.

With awards being given to best technical clothing brand, best technical equipment brand and best lifestyle clothing brand, it isn't hard to see where the profit is coming from off this show. Bad Boy, Everlast, and Tapout took those honors, which likely only took a few bucks out of their pocket.

For the most part, the rest of the awards were either given to the wrong choice or the absolutely obvious choice.

Take a guess which MMA organization won best promotion? Nope, it wasn't Dream.

And what about leading man of the year? Not so fast, Mr. Coker.

Of course, the one award all hardcore MMA fans worldwide were most looking forward to was most memorable ring entrance. Which the always-pitiful, self-promoting Jason "Mayhem" Miller took down before calling out Nick Diaz to step up and fight him.

Anyone else feel like Tom Lawlor got absolutely robbed in this one?

But, in all honesty, there were a few awards that I really did want to see go to the right place.

MMA journalist of the year was clearly deserved by Ariel Helwani, who has done an unbelievable job elevating himself to the top of the game. He did a wonderful job accepting the award, also.

KO of the year belonged to Mauricio "Shogun" Rua for his shocking first-round stoppage of champion Lyoto Machida. Thankfully, it was given to him—by the uncomfortably-awkward duo Jennito, no less.

Submission of the year went to the correct home of Fabricio Werdum for his era-ending, first-round triangle choke of Fedor Emelianenko. Good for the both of them.

With the amazing back-and-forth battles between Chris Leben and Yoshihiro Akiyama— and especially the five-round epic between Jorge Santiago and Kazuo Misaki—the fight of the year couldn't have been more off.

Anderson Silva's title defense against Chael Sonnen took the honors, much to my dismay.

Look, Silva vs. Sonnen was a great fight. But in all reality, it was a one-sided beating for 4.5 rounds before Silva locked on the triangle.

Comeback of the year? OK.

Fight of the year? No way.

Santiago vs. Misaki should have taken it hands down. But it just goes to show you this is an American event, not worldwide like the sport of MMA.

I personally picked Frankie Edgar for fighter of the year, but the "votes" went to Jose Aldo.

Aldo had a great year and he is a tremendous fighter. But wins over Uriah Faber and Manny Gamburyan far from trump two massive upset wins over B.J. Penn to win and defend the lightweight championship.

This is B.J. Penn we're talking about here!

Also, it's a little unlucky that Edgar fought in December of '09 and will fight on January 1 of '11.

And that brings up one last point. If these are the best of 2010 awards, why are they giving them out with a whole month and four major events left in the year?

Tough luck for anyone fighting at the TUF Finale, Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Babalu 2, UFC 124 and WEC 53.

With another title defense, Dominick Cruz could be considered a candidate for fighter of the year.

I could go on forever about the bias and illegitimacy of these awards, but I won't waste any more of your time. Basically, nobody takes these awards seriously anyway—at least I hope not.

They are shallow and pointless, but one could see that just from voting beforehand.

This award show is not far off from the UFC's Hall of Fame. These are more business choices than actual rewards.

It would be nice to have an authority of the sport to name the fight and fighter of the year, but this is not it. Internet voting is not the way to determine these things.

There should be a board of the top objective writers in MMA, similar to the way Ring Magazine does it in boxing.

Until then, just keep hiding this show on your site, Versus.

This article was originally posted on Sprawl 'N' Brawl MMA.