Daniel Cormier And Chael Sonnen had opposing views when crowning their male fighter of the year.

Chael Sonnen picks UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira (12-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC), who knocked out Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka and Khalil Rountree in the span of six months. Sonnen credited Pereira for continually stepping up his efforts to save the pay-per-view shows.

Cormier praised Pereira for his active and accomplished year, but maintained that the UFC featherweight champion Ilia TopuriaBack-to-back knockouts against division greats Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway carry more weight.

“I don’t know if Pereira’s one or three wins outweigh Ilia Topuria’s two in terms of importance,” Cormier said. “Good guy/bad guy” with Chael Sonnen. “Pereira beat two former champions, Jamahal Hill and Jiri, and then he beat a guy, Khalil Rountree, who is really good and was ranked seventh, right? He climbed the rankings after his defeat.

Cormier explained that Volkanovski and Holloway were still in peak form when Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) faced them. Topuria handed Holloway first knockout loss of his career at UFC 308.

“Ilia Topuria beat Alexander Volkanovski, considered one of the greatest featherweights of all time,” Cormier continued. “He’s No. 2 behind Jose Aldo and part of that is because no one will ever get past Jose Aldo because of everything he’s done to start the division. He beat Max Holloway, the third greatest featherweight of all time. In terms of importance, he literally went in one year, Chael, and took out the last eight years of the division. He went to take care of everyone from 2015-24, all in one year, because from then until now, it was always Alex Volkanovski or always Max Holloway.

“It’s not like these two guys aren’t fighting at the top of the sport anymore. Volk had just fought Islam (Makhachev) for the lightweight championship and less than a year ago he fought him competitively. Max Holloway had just won the BMF title in what many believe is the knockout of the year over Justin Gaethje, a top-three 155-pound guy. He beats these greats while they are still in their prime and still fighting at the highest level. So in terms of importance, in terms of being there, beating the best consecutively – but not just beating them, knocking them out, for me it’s Ilia Topuria. Hands down.