With GSP's (fake)Retirement, it's appropriate for an ATG WW List:

[BoD 2.0]

Number 1
No question or argument here, it's GSP.
25-2 at Welterweight. Avenged both losses. 10 succesful Title Defenses. 12 Championship wins.
Notable wins: Parisyan, Hughes X's 2, Penn X's 2, Koscheck X's 2, Fitch, Alves, Sherk, Shields, Condit, Trigg, Hardy, Diaz, Hendricks.

2. Hughes
3. Shields
4. Woodley
5. Lawler

 

[Readybodisready]

Shields is not top 3. Replace him with Big Rigg and you've got a solid list there.

 

[fortheo]

Shields is not top 3.

Who do you have over him? Lawler or woodley? Guys shields beat?

 

[Sweater of AV]

Shields is not top 3. Replace him with Big Rigg and you've got a solid list there.

Johny isn't near top 5 all-time.

 

[NoSmilez]

I would have Fitch over Shields. Shield's win over Lawler was at 185

 

[TheAmericanGazelle]

Woodley is a pretty clear 3rd IMO all-time, while Hughes is a clear 2 and GSP clear 1.

We are about to head into title defense number 5, all against game guys (except maybe Till, but even Till was highly ranked)...that's impressive.

 

[TheToqueville]

Number 1
No question or argument here, it's GSP.
25-2 at Welterweight. Avenged both losses. 10 succesful Title Defenses. 12 Championship wins.
Notable wins: Parisyan, Hughes X's 2, Penn X's 2, Koscheck X's 2, Fitch, Alves, Sherk, Shields, Condit, Trigg, Hardy, Diaz, Hendricks.

2. Hughes
3. Shields
4. Woodley
5. Lawler

Replace Shields at 3 with Woodley. Also watch for Woodley to overtake GSP as the WW GOAT within the next 2 years.

 

[GrayArea]

1 gsp
2 woodley
3 Hughes

Call me when Shields Wins a UFC title and defends it 4 times.

A split decision over Woodley 4 years into his pro career doesn’t mean he’s ranked over him forever. That’s silly.

 

[Mason]

1. GSP
2. Woodley
3. Hughes
4. Lawler
5. Shields

Prime Woodley KOs prime GSP, prime Hughes, and prime Shields. He already KOd prime Lawler.

 

[Sonny Qc]

1. GSP
2. Hughes
3. T-Wood (after Marty, might become #2)
4. Shield
5. Sakurai

 

[MMA_AZ]

He fought Koshcheck twice? Hmmm... Are you sure

 

[Readybodisready]

Who do you have over him? Lawler or woodley? Guys shields beat?

Every WW on the list and Big Rigg. He's top 10 but not top 3.

 

[MMA_AZ]

He fought Koshcheck twice? Hmmm... Are you sure

Oh shit he did!

 

[Squarechoke]

GSP is the undisputed #1 and Hughes is the clear #2. After them there's more reason to discuss. Woodley is well set up for #3 though.

Woodley is a pretty clear 3rd IMO all-time, while Hughes is a clear 2 and GSP clear 1.

We are about to head into title defense number 5, all against game guys (except maybe Till, but even Till was highly ranked)...that's impressive.

Woodley failed to defend against Thompson the first time, he just retained by default as there was no winner.

 

[Readybodisready]

Johny isn't near top 5 all-time.

I don't count robberies against him and Prime big Rigg was the best WW I've ever seen fight. He beat the GOAT WW.

 

[TheAmericanGazelle]

Woodley failed to defend against Thompson the first time, he just retained by default as there was no winner.

Not considering draws title defense is completely contrary to tradition (in boxing, primarily).

Entered with the belt.
Left with the belt.

It's a defense. And even if you want to literally remove that fight from his record, he has three title defenses, a great winning percentage, and a skillset to match up pretty nicely to the other guys at the top of the list. He certainly deserves to be ranked over the Fitch/Shields/Lawler caliber of WW.

 

[Sweater of AV]

I don't count robberies against him and Prime big Rigg was the best WW I've ever seen fight.

I disagree but I hespect your opinion. Johny did have a pretty damn good stretch for a while.

 

[blaseblah]

1 gsp
2 woodley
3 Hughes

Call me when Shields Wins a UFC title and defends it 4 times.

A split decision over Woodley 4 years into his pro career doesn’t mean he’s ranked over him forever. That’s silly.

Woodley has 3 defenses, not 4.

Shields has beaten:
Hendo
Woodley
Lawler
Maia
Condit
Kampmann
Okami
Daley

It's debatable either way.

 

[GrayArea]

Woodley has 3 defenses, not 4.

Shields has beaten:
Hendo
Woodley
Lawler
Maia
Condit
Kampmann
Okami
Daley

It's debatable either way.

Hendo is not a welterweight and has nothing to do with shields WW rank

Okami was a WW fight, you’re right.

Call me when Shields wins a UFC WW belt and defends it 3/4 times.

 

[svmVR2097]

Hendo is not a welterweight and has nothing to do with shields WW rank

Okami was a middleweight his whole career until recent years, so again. The okami win has nothing to do with Shields WW rank.

Call me when Shields wins a UFC WW belt and defends it 3/4 times.

The Okami win was at WW and he beat Okami and Condit in the same night. It has some bearing. Also, while he was coming off a loss to Hughes, that Sakurai win for Shields was big at the time as well. Sakurai was ranked number 1 in the world just 15 months earlier if memory serves correctly