Mixed martial arts was trumped by boxing for the third straight year at the 17th annual ESPY awards taped Wednesday in Los Angeles.
Manny Pacquiao beat out UFC champions Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida and boxer Shane Mosely in the Best Fighter category, one of 37 awards decided by fan balloting presented at the event.
Pacquiao, understandably, won over online and mobile voters with his impressive performances over Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton.
Only three other mixed martial artists have been nominated in the show’s history. Georges St-Pierre in 2008 and Randy Couture and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in 2007. Floyd Mayweather Jr. won both years.
The 2009 ESPY awards premieres Sunday, July 19 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.
