Who was the greatest Lightweight of all time?

[AceCooch]

BJ Penn = 3 defenses
Frankie Edgar = 3 defenses
Bendo = 3 defenses

They all had close fights with each other (except Bendo never fought Penn obviously)

Most weight classes have a clear number 1 of all time, but Lightweight never has..

So who do you think is the greatest Lightweight of all time?

 

[Headkicktoleg]

Penn no doubt about it

 

[M Raid K]

We'll see how RDA goes, but if he avenges that loss to Khabib, he's up there.

LW is such a deep and competitive division that there wasn't and likely won't be a dominant destroyer like in other weight classes.

 

[Ar145984]

BJ Penn,

LW is a lot like HW in the sense that there hasn't really been a seriously dominant fighter in terms of defenses, etc. RDA can make a case. Khabib is potential LW GOAT.

 

[danny23]

Frankie Edgar.

 

[Davemeddlehed]

BJ Penn = 3 defenses
Frankie Edgar = 3 defenses
Bendo = 3 defenses

They all had close fights with each other (except Bendo never fought Penn obviously)

Most weight classes have a clear number 1 of all time, but Lightweight never has..

So who do you think is the greatest Lightweight of all time?

Penn has literally been the virtual consensus #1 Lightweight of all time for years now.

 

[dleehscdd]

BJ

 

[Wizzlebiz]

I have to go with edgar here.

Undersized for the division but yet still somehow found a way to be the best.

 

[AceCooch]

Penn has literally been the virtual consensus #1 Lightweight of all time for years now.

Really?

So far we have 4 votes for BJ, 2 for Edgar and 1 undecided.

Even if he is, it isn't as obvious as most other weightclasses other than HW.

There is no Anderson, GSP, Jones, Cruz, Aldo, or MM of LW

 

[Summoning]

Takanori Gomi

/thread

 

[jimbob27]

Penn has literally been the virtual consensus #1 Lightweight of all time for years now.

Edgar has more wins at LW, the same number of title defenses and defeated BJ 3 times.

The argument for putting BJ ahead of him is mostly based on listening to Joe Rogan's hyperbole.

 

[Bewareofdawg]

BJ Penn.

12 wins at LW, 11 Finishes, 4 wins in title fights. Wins over Gomi, Pulver, Uno, Serra, Florian, Sanchez, Sherk and others. Nobody else measures up.

In his first 8 years, he was 15-5-1.
With finishes over the #1 WW at the time Hughes, and the #1 LW at the time Gomi.
He had won UFC Gold in 2 Weight Divisions.
His only losses were to Machida (Future LHW Champ), Hughes (#2 WW Goat) in his prime, GSP (#1 WW Goat) in his prime and a razor thin loss in his 4th pro fight to the #1 LW at the time Jens Pulver in his prime.

How can anyone look at all of that and say he isn't the Greatest LW fighter ever, and top 10 all time?

The guy was incredible.

And another note. In his prime, when he was in the ring with Gomi (another contender for this award), who was also in his prime, Penn dominated him and showed to be simply on another level than even him.

 

[MMAProfessional]

Penn. He has more accomplishments and dominated his title defenses

 

[Big_Chief_Stove]

BJ Penn = 3 defenses
Frankie Edgar = 3 defenses
Bendo = 3 defenses

They all had close fights with each other (except Bendo never fought Penn obviously)

Most weight classes have a clear number 1 of all time, but Lightweight never has..

So who do you think is the greatest Lightweight of all time?

1. Edgar
2. Penn

 

[Big_Chief_Stove]

Takanori Gomi

/thread

Lost to BJ and both Diaz bros

 

[Ballsack Mcgee]

RDA. The list of guys he has beaten rivals none. Cowboy X2, KOd Bendo, destroyed Pettis, Nate. Who did BJ beat? Diego sanchez, kenny, Joe Stevenson? Sherk was his only really impressive win at LW

 

[TheRuthlessOne]

BJ

 

[Davemeddlehed]

Edgar has more wins at LW, the same number of title defenses and defeated BJ 3 times.

The argument for putting BJ ahead of him is mostly based on listening to Joe Rogan's hyperbole.

The argument for putting BJ ahead of him is based on having seen him fight, and destroy top lightweights for years.

He beat the number 3 and 2 lightweights in the world in his 2nd and 3rd fights ever. Took the champion at the time to the limit in a fight that to this day some people still think he won. Several people still think he won the second fight with Uno. He goes on to box up and choke out the only other lightweight with a possible case for best so far in Gomi. Then puts the hurt on Sherk in a way we'd never seen before. Stuffs 20 something takedowns and outstrikes Diego Sanchez 150 to 7. The only man to ever submit Kenny Florian in the cage, and one of only two to ever finish Kenny in a fight.

BJ didn't just beat opponents, BJ summarily destroyed them.

 

[Summoning]

Lost to BJ and both Diaz bros

So what? The BJ lost was before his PRIDE run. When he lost to Nate, Gomi was already old and out of prime. And Nick got his face totally fucked by Gomi until the great sub. Also Nick was on Marijuana.

 

[AceCooch]

Sorry I should have attached a poll to this. BUT
Voter tally
7 penn
4 Edgar
1 Gomi
1 RDA
So there is nothing unanimous about the Lightweight GOAT whatsoever.