Justin Gaethje is the lone MMA fighter nominated for a 2026 ESPY

Justin Gaethje has been singled out as the only mixed martial arts fighter nominated for a 2026 ESPY, a distinction that underscores how his momentum has carried beyond the usual UFC audience. The nomination, reported by Yahoo Sports on June 25, is positioned as further proof that Gaethje’s “spectacular year” has remained visible to a broader sports-viewing public.

The ESPYs are presented by ESPN and have long functioned as a year-end referendum on star power across major American sports, from baseball and football to basketball and combat sports. For an athlete to be the lone representative from MMA in a nomination field dominated by athletes from leagues that receive daily broadcast attention, the recognition is notable in itself. It reflects not just performance inside the cage, but the sport’s ability, at moments, to travel into the mainstream awards conversation.

Gaethje’s public profile has often been tied to a particular kind of fight identity, one built around urgency and crowd-pleasing exchanges. That appeal matters at an event like the ESPYs, where nominees are not only ranked by win-loss outcomes, but also remembered for the story the season created. Yahoo Sports frames the nomination as the continuation of a run in which Gaethje has repeatedly drawn attention with fights that stand out to viewers.

Still, the ESPN awards field is determined by a mix of voting mechanisms that can vary by category, and the exact category details and finalist list are not included in the information provided here. Without official confirmation of the specific ESPY category and the full slate of nominees, the most accurate takeaway is the one directly supported by the reporting: Gaethje is the lone MMA fighter nominated for 2026.

For UFC followers, the nomination is a reminder that MMA’s elite athletes can be recognized in national media cycles even when they are not actively competing at the same frequency as athletes in other sports. For the ESPYs, it is a chance to put combat sports on center stage and bring a fighter with a distinct brand into a setting usually defined by team sports and individual stars from established leagues.