Who was the greatest Lightweight of all time?

[yookfarb]

haha

past his "motivational prime"

Homeboy could at least get his excuses in order

 

[Spookv]

Bj

 

[Rovert]

BJ

 

[billave234]

Before Pettis lost to RDA, people were saying Pettis was the GOAT

 

[Danespina]

I think if Frankie beats Aldo he'll basically close this case shut.
At least in terms of overall career.

 

[Rovert]

I think if Frankie beats Aldo he'll basically close this case shut.
At least in terms of overall career.

Thats a lower weight class , beating Lawler now damn that would seal the deal but yea its 145 so yea

 

[ConditFan]

I think if Frankie beats Aldo he'll basically close this case shut.
At least in terms of overall career.

A fight at 145 lb has no bearing on a discussion about the greatest lightweight.

Couture's achievements at lhw do nothing for his standing at hw

 

[Glumberjack]

RDA can match Penn in jiu jitsu, has far better wrestling, is physically stronger, has way better cardio and way better kicks. He would be too much for all of them. Hes like a slightly smaller but more aggressive GSP.

BJ never had any issues with cardio at 155 and no one could keep him down if they did manage to take him down at all. I don't see Dos Anjos having that great of wrestling that he would've been able to get and keep Penn down, nor do I think he would get the better of BJ standing. It's all moot though until someone invents a working time machine.

 

[waldywaldy]

It's a toss up between BJ and Gomi imo, even considering if BJ beat Gomi.

 

[Rovert]

Before Pettis lost to RDA, people were saying Pettis was the GOAT

That was just UFC hype they were happy they had a LW that could at least Main Event a Fight Night

 

[BenjaminRandalC]

Let's not forget how Gomi got ktfo by Myles Jury. Past his prime, but still went to sleep...

For some reason this is still just one of the most painful sad ends to a career....and I am a huge Pulver fan saying this so I have seen what the most painful sad end looks like. Go back and watch their fight against each other, because that is the sweet spot to me.

P.S. I think the correct answer to the question is Frankie Edgar in that I believe he won both fights against Benson. Nobody ever did to Frankie what Frankie did to BJ, and I am talking about their second fight not the snuff film that was their third fight.

 

[MichiganMMA1978]

Cool highlight vid... but they keep showing the same stuff over and over... :/

 

[Davemeddlehed]

He ran through Gomi when Gomi was considered the top lightweight in the sport and a pound for pound top 10 guy. Diego Sanchez was a great win at the time, particularly when you consider BJ stuffed every single one of his takedowns, only got hit by 7 strikes in almost 5 rounds and finished the fight. Florian and Stevenson were also good wins, Sherk was a huge win (and dominant in its execution; Sherk was nearly unstoppable at 155), Pulver, Uno and Serra were good wins too.

Dos Anjos has lots of good wins and has looked amazing of late but he also has some questionable losses. BJ only ever lost a split decision to Jens Pulver (which he avenged) and twice (one of which was a horrible decision) to the guy widely considered #2 or 3 all time in the weight class.

Don't forget Din Thomas. #3 in the world when Penn beat him.

 

[chaos_36]

BJ then Gomi.

 

[Davemeddlehed]

I think if Frankie beats Aldo he'll basically close this case shut.
At least in terms of overall career.

Edgar beating Aldo who isn't champion anymore < BJ Beating Hughes who was viewed as invincible. Not that either one really matters in the context of a pure lightweight legacy discussion.

 

[Danespina]

A fight at 145 lb has no bearing on a discussion about the greatest lightweight.

Fair enough. Well then I guess yeah, Penn would win by default. Frankie didn't really belong at Lightweight and has made the right move out of there.

 

[chickenlip]

I'm obviously a Frankie fan so I'll go with him

 

[LukeSkyRutten]

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.

Khabib lost to Tibau. He'll lose again 'officially' soon enough. Everyone has their kryptonite in that division. Expect the UFC to force Khabib's on him early because he's boring as heck.

 

[Ingjr]

I belong in the "Frankie's Best" category.

 

[davisbe]

Dude. BJ Penn. Period.