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While MMA fans will be disappointed to not see Conor McGregor at UFC 303, there is still plenty of action to be excited about on a stacked fight card. The likes of Alex Pereira, Diego Lopes, and Antony Smith will all take to the Octagon in Las Vegas, with ‘The Nightmare’ picking up an injury when he was due to fight Michael Chandler.
“Very tough to be ruled out of my scheduled return bout,” McGregor wrote on Instagram. “I picked up an injury prior to the press conference that required more time to heal than was available to me. The decision to postpone the fight was not made lightly, but one made in consultation with my doctors, the UFC, and my team.
The 35-year-old has not appeared in the UFC since July 2021, when he sustained a broken leg against Dustin Poirier. Still, his charismatic personality has made him a cult legend amongst MMA fans, boasting big welterweight wins over Nate Diaz and Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone.
McGregor’s versatility in fighting across multiple weight classes makes him a great UFC player despite his recent record. However, how does he compare to some of the best in the Welterweight division?
In this article, we look at some of the best fighters in UFC history who have competed up to 141 pounds and how they set the standard for welterweight champions.
Georges St-Pierre
Georges St-Pierre, often abbreviated as GSP, is widely considered the greatest Welterweight in UFC history. With a professional record of 26 wins and just two losses, GSP’s reign over the division was marked by his exceptional skill set, blending striking, wrestling, and tactical intelligence.
Rising through the ranks at in Kyokushin, a different variation of karate and MMA, he then earnt his stripes in the UFC, where he trained with Rashad Evans in New Mexico while also learning Muay Thai and BJJ.
GSP’s victories over legends like Matt Hughes, BJ Penn, and Nick Diaz cemented his legacy as not only a dominant champion but also one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in MMA history.
Kamaru Usman
Known as ‘The Nigerian Nightmare,” Kamara Usman made a significant impact on the Welterweight division with a record of 20 wins and four losses.
Usman’s tenure as champion from 2019 to 2022 was characterised by his relentless fighting style, impressive cardio, and ability to mix striking with grappling seamlessly. He defended his title successfully against elite fighters such as Tyron Woodley, Colby Covington, and Jorge Masvidal.
Usman suffered a dip in form in 2022 when Leon Edwards shocked the UFC odds with a head kick that knocked the Nigerian out. Unable to win his title back against Rocky a few months later in London, he stepped in to fight Khamzat Chimaev with just 10 days’ notice and was beaten via decision. However, those losses can’t overshadow the monster striker he was in his prime.
Matt Hughes
Matt Hughes was the original dominant force in the UFC Welterweight division. With a record of 45 wins and nine losses, Hughes’ career was defined by his powerful wrestling and relentless ground-and-pound style.
His championship reigns from 2001 to 2004, then again from 2004 to 2006, included victories over top-tier opponents like Georges St-Pierre, BJ Penn, and Frank Trigg. Hughes’ success helped elevate the sport’s popularity during its formative years, when the UFC was reprimanded for being overly violent, providing more discipline to the sport, and his contributions to the division are still celebrated today.
Tyron Woodley
Tyron Woodley’s championship reign in the Welterweight division stood out due tohis raw power. While he was beaten by Youtuber Jake Paul in a couple of farcical bouts back in 2021, Woodley is still making the transition to professional boxing, but will always be remembered for the legacy he cemented in the Octagon.
With an impressive professional record of 19 wins, seven losses, and one draw, Woodley defended his title four times against top-tier opponents, including Stephen Thompson, Demian Maia, and Darren Till. He became one of the elite strikers in the UFC due to his knockout power, with seven wins coming via KO.
