A great fight year comes to a close, with huge upsets, phenomenal KOs, and spectacular showdowns. Legends have died, and heroes have retired. We have seen long-reigning champions such as Kamaru Usman and Rose Namajunas lose their crowns. Controversial scores have been delivered such as in the O’Malley and Yan fight, and suspenseful fights such as Tuivasa vs Gane have won the hearts of fans.
During the year we have had the opportunity to bring you exclusive interviews with top names of the fight game, such as Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Sexyama, Claressa Shields, and Otto Wallin, to name but a few. Our interviews have sought to go beyond the usual fighter interviews asking about the forthcoming fights of the athletes we spoke to, instead focusing on what brought them to the sport, what keeps them motivated, and why they think people enjoy fighting in general.
To answer the last question, we have also spoken to a range of philosophers who have made their mark on the fighting world in one way or another. Speaking to Professor Andreas Kinneging, we looked at the origins of fighting and martial arts in Greek antiquity. With Professor Daniele Bolelli we came to a better understanding of the motivations behind fighting, and with Professor Gordon Marino we spoke about existentialism and life lessons learned in the ring.
This year has also been a superb year for Scandinavian martial arts. Jack Hermansson and Khamzat Chimaev have bouldered through the year with great achievements in the UFC octagon, while legendary Swede Alex “The Mauler” Gustafsson continues to find his feet in the UFC post-retirement comeback. To top it all off, Sadibou Sy brought home the PFL title to Sweden. Danish fighter Niclas Larsen lost both his fights in the ONE circle this year but has showcased spectacular Scandi Muay Thai at the top-world level, competing for world titles against some of the best Thai boxers of our time.
Whether you just want the weekend’s forthcoming events, a breakdown of the last few fights, or something deeper like a short reflection on history or the philosophy of fighting, we have aimed to deliver. Everything about the fight game fascinates us, and we think no subject – high or low – undeserved our attention. The only impediment is time: there is too much to cover! If you would like to help us cover some events or subjects, or even contribute a piece of your own, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with an idea.
Let us know what you would like to see more of in the new year!
Happy fighting in 2023!
Inlägget Rewind 2022! dök först upp på Fighter Magazine.