Highlights
- Leon Edwards defends his UFC welterweight title against Colby Covington on December 16th, in a historic matchup.
- The top ten welterweights in MMA history are ranked based on skill, legacy, championships held, and quality of wins.
- Notable welterweights like B.J. Penn, Nick Diaz, Colby Covington, and more are included in the list, highlighting their achievements and contributions to the sport.
On December 16th, the UFC welterweight title will be up for grabs as Champion Leon Edwards defends against American wrestler Colby Covington. With this historic 170-pound matchup closing in, we've listed the top ten Welterweights in MMA history based on skill and legacy.
Some of the qualities of the elite welterweights in the UFC include their resumes, which consist of championships held, quality of wins, and overall record. While some entries are retired UFC Hall of Famers who have left enduring legacies in the sport, there are current fighters included in this list, who are still improving their record.
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Leon Edwards details to Rio Ferdinand why Ian Garry was kicked out of his gym.10 B.J. Penn (Former UFC Welterweight Champion)
Overall Record (16-14-2)
- Notable Welterweight Wins (Matt Hughes 2x)
- Title Defenses (0 Stripped of Belt following contract dispute)
- Status: Retired (UFC Hall of Famer)
Former Two-Division UFC Champion BJ Penn is widely regarded as one of the greatest Lightweights of all time. Penn only had two wins at 170-pounds in his UFC career but captured gold over longtime champion Matt Hughes. Penn would never defend his Welterweight title and was stripped by the UFC following a contract dispute that saw him leave to compete in Japan.
While statistically he was not the best welterweight of all time, the BJ Penn, who beat Matt Hughes at UFC 46, would have been a formidable opponent for anyone who has ever competed at 170 pounds.
9 Nick Diaz (Former Strikeforce and WEC Welterweight Champion)
Overall Record (26-10)
- Notable Welterweight Wins (B.J. Penn, Robbie Lawler, Frank Shamrock)
- Title Defenses (Defended Strikeforce title 3x)
- Status: Retired
Nick Diaz was one of the toughest and most entertaining fighters that has ever competed in MMA. A BJJ Black Belt under Cesar Gracie, Diaz debuted in the UFC at just 20 years old and made statement wins in his first two appearances. In his first fight, he submitted veteran Jermey Jackson with an armbar before knocking out Robbie Lawler.
Diaz faced many tough opponents, including Sean Sherk, Diego Sanchez, and Joe Riggs. After mixed results in 2005-2006. Diaz left the UFC and joined the PRIDE Fighting Championships where he defeated lightweight champion Takanori Gomi in his debut. He would go 12-1 before rejoining the UFC. In his second UFC run, Diaz would dismantle B.J. Penn before fighting Carlos Condit who won a controversial deision. Diaz lost his world title fight against champion George St-Pierre.
8 Colby Covington (Former Interim UFC Welterweight Champion)
Overall Record (17-3)
- Notable Welterweight Wins (Robbie Lawler, Jorge Masvidal, Tyron Woodley, Rafael dos Anjos)
- Title Defenses (None)
- Status: Active (Next Fight: UFC 296 Edwards vs Covington)
Colby Covington is a polarizing figure in the combat sports world, but his credentials and talent are undeniable. Covington challenged for the welterweight title twice against Kamaru Usman, winning seven fights to get into title contention. In his career, Covington has defeated three former world champions in Tyron Woodley, Robbie Lawler, Rafeael dos Anjos.
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Overall Record (29-8)
- Notable Welterweight Wins (Chris Brennan 2x, Mikey Burnett, Andre Pederneiras, John Alessio)
- Title Defenses (Defended UFC Welterweight Title 4x)
- Status: Retired (UFC Hall of Famer)
First ever UFC Welterweight Champion Pat Miletich ranks seventh on our list of greatest welterweights of all time. Miletich is a UFC Hall of Famer who dominated the 170-pound division in the early days of the sport. Miletich started his career going 15-0 around the Midwest regional scene before losing to Matt Hume due to a doctor stoppage.
Following his first loss, Miletich would win 8 fights over the next two years, capturing UFC gold in the process. Miletich defended his title four times. Over his career, Miletich finished 23 of his 29 professional wins (16 Submissions, 7 Knockouts).
6 Robbie Lawler (Former UFC Welterweight Champion)
Overall Record (30-16)
- Notable Welterweight Wins (Nick Diaz, Carlos Condit, Rory Macdonald, Johny Hendricks)
- Title Defenses (Defended UFC title 2x)
- Status (Retired)
"Ruthless" Robbie Lawler is one of the great action fighters of all time. Lawler is the only competitor in MMA history to win three consecutive Fight of the Year awards (2014, 2015, 2016). After mixed sucess in his early career, Lawler's story is one of the greatest career resurgences in MMA history.
In his second run with the UFC, Lawler would drop back down to 170-pounds where he won three fights in a row. This winning streak propelled Lawler to a title shot against Johnny Hendricks, which he lost. After Lawler beat Jake Ellenberger and Matt Brown, the two would be paired up again.
This time, Lawler would come out victorious, winning the UFC Welterweight title at 32 years old. Once Champion, Lawler proudly defended his belt against Carlos Condit and Rory MacDonald, both earning Fight of the Year honors.
5 Tyron Woodley (Former UFC Welterweight Champion)
Overall Record (19-7)
- Notable Welterweight Wins (Robbie Lawler, Stephen Thompson, Darren Till, Carlos Condit)
- Title Defenses (Defended UFC Welterweight title 3x)
- Status: Retired
Woodley first excelled in Strikeforce, starting his career 10-0 before getting brutally finished by Nate Marquardt. Woodley would then go 4-2 over his next six fights, knocking out Josh Koscheck and Dong Hyun Kim. When he earned his title shot, against champion Robbie Lawler at UFC 201. He put together one of the best performances of his career that night, knocking Lawler out in the very first round. He defended his title three times before losing to Kamaru Usman.
4 Kamaru Usman (Former UFC Welterweight Champion)
Overall Record (20-4)
- Notable Welterweight Wins (Tyron Woodley, Rafael dos Anjos, Colby Covington 2x, Gilbert Burns, Jorge Masvidal 2x)
- Title Defenses (Defended the UFC Welterweight title 5x)
- Status: Active (Last fought Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294)
Usman successfully defended his UFC Welterweight Championship on five separate occasions. Not only was Usman a great champion, but the way he won never left doubt in the viewers minds. Usman violently finished quality opponents on his title run, such as Jorge Masvidal, Gilbert Burns, and Colby Covington. Usman won his first fifteen fights in the UFC, going undefeated in the promotion from 2015-2021.
3 Leon Edwards (Current UFC Welterweight Champion)
Overall Record (21-3)
- Notable Welterweight Wins (Kamaru Usman 2x, Nate Diaz, Vicente Luque, Rafael dos Anjos)
- Title Defenses (Defended the UFC Welterweight title once)
- Status: Active (Defends World title at UFC 296 against Colby Covington)
Current UFC Welterweight Champion Leon Edwards is on a collision course with history. Edwards is undefeated since 2015 and beat long-time belt holder Kamaru Usman twice. On his road to the title, Edwards defeated fan favorite Nate Diaz, ranked contender Vicente Luque and former Lightweight Champion Rafael dos Anjos. Edwards' striking is elite and his ability to defend takedowns has improved throughout his career.
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Bryce Mitchell steps up to replace an injured Giga Chikadze in a featherweight matchup against Josh Emmett UFC 296.2 Matt Hughes (Former UFC Welterweight Champion)
Overall Record (45-9)
- Notable Welterweight Wins (Carlos Newton 2x, Sean Sherk, Royce Gracie, George St-Peirre, B.J. Penn)
- Title Defenses (Defended the UFC Welterweight title 7 times over two title reigns)
- Status: Retired
The star pupil of Pat Miletich started his career with an impressive 8-1 before entering into the UFC. Hughes would win seven fights in a row before defeating Carlos Newton for the UFC Welterweight Championship. Hughes would defeat Newton in a rematch at UFC 38 winning by TKO in the fourth round. Hughes defended his title five times with wins over Japanese legend Hayato Sakurai, Sean Sherk and Frank Trigg. He then went through Renato Verissimo and a young George St-Pierre to win back his belt. Once Hughes was UFC Champion again, he finished Frank Trigg, B.J. Penn and pioneer Royce Gracie in is second title run.
1 George St-Pierre (Former UFC Welterweight & Middleweight Champion)
Overall Record (26-2)
- Notable Welterweight Wins (Matt Hughes 2x, B.J. Penn 2x, Carlos Condit, Nick Diaz, Michael Bisping)
- Title Defenses (Defended the UFC Welterweight title 9x)
- Status: Retired
Canadian legend George St-Pierre was not only the best fighter to compete at 170- pounds, but arguably at any weight class. St-Pierre made nine straight defenses of his Welterweight Championship and, in his second title run, never lost the belt until his retirement. George suffered two setbacks in his career, one to Matt Hughes and the other to Matt Serra. Not only did St-Pierre avenge these defeats, but he stopped both of his rivals inside the distance in rematches.
