UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje has been nominated for the ‘Best Fighter’ award at the 2026 ESPYS. The nomination follows a three-fight winning streak capped by his recent title victory, placing him against a field of decorated professional boxers for the prestigious award.
A recent report detailed the nominees, stating: ” at the upcoming 2026 ESPY awards.
ESPY = **E**xcellence in **S**ports **P**erformance **Y**early.
### Related
*
*
The 37 year-old Gaethje (28-5) is up against boxers Claressa Shields, Gabriela Fundora, and Terence Crawford. “
Gaethje is the sole mixed martial artist in the category. One of his competitors, Terence Crawford, was described in the report. The report said he: ” is the most decorated fighter of the bunch; however, he only competed once over the last two years, to win the WBA (Super), WBC, IBF, WBO, and The Ring super middleweight titles.
Click to cast your vote.
Previous ESPY award winners include , , and . No doubt Topuria would have locked up that nomination for himself considering , but had other plans for “
The winner will be revealed when the ESPYS air on July 15 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. Replays of the awards ceremony will be available on ESPN and the ESPN+ digital network.
