Top 10 Best UFC Welterweight Champions of All Time

Critical Consensus: Ranking the top 10 Best UFC Welterweight Champions of All Time

The critical consensus table combines data from Tapology and ESPN as well as listing the fighters record.

As you can see, Georges St-Pierre is ranked as the best UFC welterweight champion of all time for both Tapology and ESPN. 

Matt Hughes is ranked as the second best welterweight champion for Tapology, yet ESPN has him ranked ninth.

Kamaru Usman ranks at number three across the board, whilst Robbie Lawler ranks fifth across the board which is enough to see him as the fourth best welterweight champion of all time according to the critical consensus table.

SportsBoom MetaScale: Ranking the Brief Best UFC Welterweight Champions

The SportsBoom MetaScale takes into consideration the fighters record (40%), title defences (30%), finish rate (20%) and the duration of their title reign (10%). Here is the ranking below…

1. Georges St-Pierre 

Georges St-Pierre//Getty Images

Georges St-Pierre is not only considered the best 170 lb fighter of all time, he is also deemed the best MMA fighter to ever do it by many. He was elite in every aspect: from striking, to grappling, and even mentality.

The Canadian is a two-time welterweight champion and has defended his throne nine times. Some of his best wins came against Matt Hughes, BJ Penn, Nick Diaz and Johny Hendricks.

2. Matt Hughes

 Matt Hughes and BJ Penn greet in the center of the octagon//Getty Images

Matt Hughes is a two-time UFC welterweight champion. His elite wrestling skills and thunderous ground-and-pound strikes paved the way to become one of the greatest welterweight fighters ever.

Some of his best wins came against Carlos Newton, Georges St-Pierre, and BJ Penn. He defended the welterweight title seven times.

3. Kamaru Usman 

“The Nigerian Nightmare”, Kamaru Usman, may never have been a crowd pleaser, but his achievements in the UFC are incredible. His wrestling ability, cardio and power helped him to victories against some of the biggest names in recent welterweight history such as: Tyron Woodley, Colby Covington, Jorge Masvidal and Gilbert Burns. He successfully defended his belt five times.

4. Robbie Lawler 

Robbie Lawler was always one of the fan favourites in the UFC because of his fighting style which gave him the nickname “Ruthless”. The American was involved in some of the most brutal fights especially against Rory MacDonald and Carlos Condit. Lawler successfully defended his welterweight title twice.

5. Tyron Woodley 

Before his steep decline, Tyron Woodley was one of the most explosive and athletic fighters the UFC had ever seen. Known for his wrestling ability, he also possessed heavy knockout power in his hands, often causing huge damage to his opponents with his overhands and hooks.

He has claimed victories over several elite fighters such as Robbie Lawler, Stephen Thompson, Demian Maia and Darren Till. During his title reign he successfully defended his belt four times.

 6. BJ Penn

Despite BJ Penn being more known for his run at lightweight, Penn claimed one of the biggest shocks in title fight history when he beat Matt Hughes. However, after defeating Hughes, Penn would vacate the UFC welterweight title.

7. Matt Serra 

Matt Serra earned his spot in history with one of the biggest upsets in MMA when he won via first-round TKO against Georges St-Pierre to capture the welterweight title. He only had a short reign as champ however; GSP would get revenge a year later with a second-round TKO win.

8. Johnny Hendricks

Johnny Hendricks was known for his knockout power in both hands. Hendricks defeated the likes of Carlos Condit and Robbie Lawler. He also had an epic fight with Georges St-Pierre.

But, despite winning the vacant welterweight strap at UFC 171 over Robbie Lawler, he never successfully defended because Lawler would incite revenge a few months later.

9. Pat Miletich 

Pat Miletich was the first-ever UFC welterweight champion. His fighting style was well-rounded and this helped him on his way to successfully defending his title four times during a time when MMA was less developed than what it is nowadays.

Some of his key wins came against the likes of John Alessio, Andre Pederneiras and Mikey Burnett.

10. Carlos Newton 

Carlos Newton was known for having expert submission skills and grappling techniques. Newton was involved in a great fight against Matt Hughes, even though he didn't win, which was a highly controversial result. Newton never successfully defended his title. 

Key Metrics That Define Greatness

Greatness expands beyond just simply winning fights. There are a few key metrics that define greatness such as: title defences, duration of the title reign, and a fighters finish rate.

Having as many title defences as Georges St-Pierre defines his greatness because it proved his longevity across different era's of MMA.

Being known for finishing fights is huge because it builds your fan base and reputation. Robbie Lawler is considered great because of the sheer violence he brought every time he stepped foot inside the octagon.

Lastly, reign duration is the final key metric which defines greatness. Kamaru Usman has the second longest UFC welterweight title reign of all time, and this proves his ability to be able to see off his biggest challengers and adapt to each fight.