Who Are the Best Welterweight Fighters in UFC History?

“Ruthless” Robbie Lawler’s late-career resurgence is one of MMA’s great comeback stories. A veteran from the early 2000s, the American returned to the UFC in 2013 and, against all odds, captured the welterweight title in 2014. He defended it twice in legendary wars with Rory MacDonald and Carlos Condit. both considered among the greatest fights in UFC history, particularly in the welterweight division.

Lawler’s fighting style never changed, even with age. He was a come forward and super aggressive fighter with power in both hands, and he always showed incredible toughness, making him a fan favourite.

4. Tyron Woodley (19-7-1)

During his prime years, Tyron Woodley was one of the most explosive fighters in the welterweight division. Known for his devastating overhand right and elite wrestling, Woodley captured the title by knocking out Robbie Lawler and defended it four times.

He successfully held off challengers like Stephen Thompson, Demian Maia, and Darren Till during his reign, though his career declined rapidly after losing the title to Kamaru Usman. 

3. Matt Hughes (45-9)

Matt Hughes was the UFC’s first long-reigning welterweight king. With two title reigns and seven total title defences, Hughes helped define the division’s early years. He beat top contenders like Carlos Newton, Sean Sherk, Frank Trigg, and even Georges St-Pierre during his prime.

Hughes was known for his ground-and-pound and elite wrestling control. His rivalries, particularly with GSP and BJ Penn, were huge moments for both himself and the organisation, casting eyes on the sport in the 2000s just as the UFC was beginning to hit mainstream media and TV.

2. Kamaru Usman (20-4)

Kamaru Usman rose through the UFC ranks with a suffocating (and frustrating for the fans) wrestling style before evolving into a well-rounded striker. He became champion in 2019 by defeating Tyron Woodley and went on to defend the belt five times, including two victories over Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal, and one against Gilbert Burns.

Usman’s 15-fight UFC win streak was one of the longest in company history, but he lost the belt to Leon Edwards in 2022 in highly dramatic fashion. After dominating Edwards for four rounds, the Englishman needed a finish, and he produced one of the best comeback wins and head kick knockouts in UFC history in the dying moments of the fight.

1. Georges St-Pierre (26-2)

Georges St-Pierre is widely regarded as the greatest welterweight of all time, and many believe he’s also the best MMA fighter to ever do it. 

The Canadian dominated the 170-pound weight class during two separate reigns as champion, defending the belt nine consecutive times from 2008 to 2013. GSP had a unique ability to blend his striking in with his wrestling, which always made his opponents guessing. But, his best attributes of them all was his cardio and fight IQ, allowing him to dictate where a fight is fought from start to finish.

Victories over elite competition such as: Matt Hughes, BJ Penn, Nick Diaz, Carlos Condit, and Johny Hendricks solidified his legacy. GSP retired as champion, briefly returned to win the middleweight title in 2017 after submitting Michael Bisping, and this was the final fight in the Canadian’s illustrious career.