Chris Brown and Rihanna win Hottest VMAs Debut award

Chris Brown and Rihanna are celebrating a major MTV Video Music Awards victory - two days before the 2012 prizegiving goes live in Los Angeles.

MTV bosses announced the winners of the Hottest Debut Performance on Tuesday (04Sep12) - and the former couple came out on top.

Nominees were selected from the last five years of VMAs - and Brown and Rihanna's 2007 medley beat out Lady Gaga's appearance in 2010, when she performed a blood-soaked rendition of Paparazzi.

Justin Bieber comes in third with his U Smile performance, also from 2010's ceremony.

Rihanna will perform at the VMAs again on Thursday night (06Sep12) alongside A$AP Rocky.

Nicki Minaj will also grace the stage with a secret guest and 2 Chainz will make his VMA debut.

Rapper Lil Wayne will perform, as will One Direction, Taylor Swift, Pink, Green Day and Frank Ocean.