With the 2008 schedule for the Maximum Fighting Championship winding down
following the success of the fifth show of the year at the River Cree Resort and Casino, it is time once again for The Z-Files to begin handing out the yearly awards.
 
Just as in 2007 - the inaugural edition of the year-end awards - the highlights of the MFC season will be doled out in three versions. First up, is the Submission of the Year winners and they will be followed by the tops in the Knockout of the Year category and we'll wrap it up with the very best in the Fight of the Year honours.
 
Here are the top 10 submissions in the MFC during 2008:
 
10. Ryan Machan def. Mike Sorensen (4:54 Round 1, rear-naked choke, MFC 19)
- Machan was facing an opponent known for his rugged tactics and persistent
nature, but Machan stepped up in class (and in weight class) and dominated
Sorensen. Machan was all over Sorensen from the get-go and repeatedly had
him in trouble before locking in a rear-naked choke that Sorensen couldn't
escape from.
 
9. Emanuel Newton def. David Heath (4:42 Round 2, rear-naked choke, MFC 18)
- Newton bumped himself into a title shot when he knocked around Heath
throughout the opening round and then put a textbook submission together
getting in his hooks and then flattening out Heath directly into a convincing tapout finish.
 
8. Aron Lofton def. Jason Kuchera (0:44 Round 1, guillotine choke, MFC 19) -
The rematch was much shorter than their first encounter and ended in much
different fashion. Kuchera did land a knee-wobbling strike in the very early
moments but then sealed the victory up against the ropes as he tightened the
noose around Kuchera who was forced to tap.
 
7. Josh Russell def. Colby Snyder (1:44 Round 1, rear-naked choke, MFC 19) -
The jiu-jitsu wizard had no trouble proving his point against a proven striker in this direct clash of styles. Russell scored an easy takedown and then showcased his impressive submission skills. It was as one-sided as it could be and proved that "The Gringo" had a ground game that could move him to the top of the MFC's lightweight ranks.
 
6. Donald Sanchez def. Jason Maxwell (4:03 Round 2, triangle choke, MFC 17)
- Sanchez had shown in earlier MFC bouts that he could strike with the best
of them. But few knew that he had a ground game that could score him such a
big win. Sanchez took the wrestler down and used perfect technique to put
the Texan almost completely out.
 
5. Ben Henderson def. Mike Maestas (4:11 Round 3, rear-naked choke, MFC 16)
- It started out as a see-saw struggle but Henderson took control in the third with a barrage of elbows that cut open Maestas. The battle of wills suddenly became a one-sided affair as from there Henderson positioned himself perfectly to lock on the finish.
 
4. Jay Whitford def. Jason Kuchera (4:31 Round 2, armbar, MFC 17) - Hostile
territory of fighting an opponent on his home turf was of no matter to Whitford who withstood an early onslaught and then flashed the skills that brought him to the MFC in the first place. Whitford's manoeuvring outweighed Kuchera's power and Whitford nearly pulled his foe's left arm out of its socket.
 
3. Ben Henderson def. Ricardo Tirloni (3:49 Round 2, guillotine choke, MFC 17) - Tirloni came in with the much more heralded submission skills but it was Henderson who dazzled with a slick finish. Henderson went airborne as he
latched onto Tirloni's neck and secured his own legs around Tirloni's waist.
Tirloni had no place to go and was unable to get free which forced him to tapout.
 
2. Ryan Ford def. C.J. Fernandes (2:23 Round 1, rear-naked choke, MFC 16) -
On a few occasions there comes a time when strength and skills mesh neatly.
This was the case when Ford chased down Fernandes against the ropes near his own corner. Ford utilized his power to control Fernandes and he muscled his
way into the rear-naked choke. The result was a big one for Ford as it propelled him into a title shot and it was a shocker to the Matt Hughes-trained Fernandes and his camp.
 
And the MFC SUBMISSION OF THE YEAR goes to .
 
1. Jay Whitford def. Aron Lofton (3:11 Round 2, head-and-arm choke, MFC 18)
- What a contrast. The heavy-hitting buff Oklahoman against the every-day Joe with an arsenal on the ground. Whitford was rocked several times in the first round and looked to be on the verge of a knockout loss. But it was Whitford who went on the attack in the second round, taking down Lofton and putting himself right where he wanted to be. Whitford gained control and sewed up the win with a spectacular head-and-arm choke that endeared him to the partisan capacity crowd.