Justin Gaethje loses Fighter of the Year ESPY to Terence Crawford

Justin Gaethje's remarkable 2024–2025 run to UFC lightweight supremacy fell short of earning him an ESPY for Fighter of the Year. Though "The Highlight" was the sole mixed martial artist nominated in the category at ESPN's annual awards ceremony, the honour went to recently retired boxer Terence Crawford, announced by Pat McAfee on Wednesday ahead of the formal event. Gabriela Fundora and Claressa Shields were also in contention; Crawford's selection came on the back of his September 2024 victory over Canelo Alvarez, his only bout in the eligibility window.

Gaethje's year had been defined by redemption and triumph. After absorbing a devastating knockout loss to Max Holloway at UFC 300 in April 2024, he rebounded with a January 2025 interim lightweight title win via dominant display over Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324. Weeks later in March at UFC 313, he dispatched Rafael Fiziev. The capstone came in June at UFC White House, when Gaethje pulled off one of the most stunning upsets in UFC history, securing a fourth-round TKO over undisputed champion Ilia Topuria to unify the belts. Despite that elite achievement and a calendar year of compelling performances, the ESPY voters chose Crawford's cross-sport recognition instead.