5 Best Welterweight Champions in UFC History

The UFC welterweight division has been a favorite among fans for many years. Multiple all-time great fighters have reigned as welterweight champion and became hall of farmers.

Here’s a list of the five best welterweight champions in UFC history. Check out the stories of these great fighters below and how they became legends.

Georges St Pierre

The first fighter that everyone thinks of when discussing the best welterweight champions in UFC history is GSP. Georges St. Pierre was a once in a generation talent, who captivated fans during his incredible career.

The 3x UFC champion dominated the welterweight division for years with his well-rounded skills. Not only was GSP a great striker, but he evolved and became an elite wrestler during his career.

The Canadian legend dispatched numerous top fighters from Matt Hughes, BJ Penn, Jake Shields, Dan Hardy, and Nick Diaz.

There might not be another GSP, but you can bet on the next welterweight title fight where Belal Mohammad will look to defend his title and you can find the latest odds on gambling and betting sites.

Matt Hughes

One of the best welterweight champions in history, who isn’t talked about enough is the great Matt Hughes. Hughes was the first great UFC welterweight champion, who had two great runs as champion.

Matt was the prototype for the future champions who came after him. His superior wrestling, ground-n-pound, and grappling made Hughes a legend and hall of famer.

He beat everyone from GSP, BJ Penn, Ricardo Almeida, Renzo Gracie, Royce Gracie, and Frank Trigg. Every champ who came after Hughes owes him a debt for laying the blueprint for how to become champion.

Kamaru Usman

During Kamaru Usman’s run, we didn’t realize that he would become one of the best welterweight champions in UFC history. When Usman first entered the UFC, many fans assumed that he’d eventually get a shot at the title.

After Usman took out former champ Tyron Woodley, “The Nigerian Nightmare improved with each performance. He beat Colby Covington twice, Jorge Masvidal twice, and finished Gilbert Burns in the 3rd round.

At 37, Kamaru thinks he has one more run in him and wants to get his title back.

Tyron Woodley 

Tyron is often considered one of the best welterweight champions in UFC history, but his stats speak for themself. During his prime, Tyron was a great wrestler with knockout power in both hands.

He made a huge statement by knocking out Robbie Lawler and then retaining his title four times with three wins. Woodley’s last defense against Darren Till was arguably the best performance of his career.

Robbie Lawler

Robbie Lawler is only one of the best welterweight champions in UFC history, but one of the most beloved. “Ruthless” was a long-time fan favorite and fans were ecstatic when he won the title.

Lawler’s fan friendly style produced some of the greatest fights in UFC history during his prime. He went to war with everyone from Matt Brown, Johny Hendricks, Rory MacDonald, and Carlos Condit. 

Fans will always love Robbie for giving us everything he had in the octagon.