The UFC Welterweight Title: A Visual History

[Kung Fu Kowboy]

FEATURED INFOGRAPHICS
The UFC Welterweight Title: A Visual History
FacebookTwitterReddit0WhatsApp

BEN DUFFY AUG 7, 2023 COMMENTS
On Saturday, Rafael dos Anjos will look to keep his hopes of a second UFC title alive. He could hardly have chosen a tougher hill to climb.

In the main event of UFC on ESPN 51 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, former lightweight champ Dos Anjos will face perennial contender Vicente Luque in a high-stakes welterweight contenders’ match. The winner will be one step closer to a shot at the belt currently held by Leon Edwards, who earned it last August by upending Kamaru Usman, then defended it in March in their trilogy fight. Usman’s crashing descent from perhaps the top pound-for-pound fighter in the sport a year ago, to a man on a two-fight skid facing an uncertain future, is just the most recent example of the uniquely cruel and unforgiving nature of the 170-pound division.

If welterweight isn’t the best weight class in UFC history, it must be a close second behind lightweight. Scan the 11 names on the left-hand side of the infographic, and you see a lot of meat and not a lot of filler. There are a couple of the greatest fighters of all time and several more who were at least among the greatest of their time. The right-hand side tells a story as well, with some incredibly skilled and accomplished fighters trying and failing to scale the throne. Not many weight classes have a second tier as historically impressive as Jon Fitch, Jake Shields, Carlos Condit and Demian Maia.

Of course, that has always been welterweight’s chief charm: It is a division historically ruled by dominant champions. Compared to the sad-sack early years of the UFC’s lightweight and heavyweight divisions, where nobody even seemed to want the belts, and in fact multiple sitting champions bailed for greener pastures, 170 was put in an immediate stranglehold by Pat Miletich, who held the newly minted strap for almost three years. Ever since, it has been more of the same. While welterweight has its share of parity and weirdness, and boasts two of the greatest championship upsets ever, it’s a division where a man often gets the belt and spends a couple of years turning away all comers.

Here is the 25-year history of the UFC welterweight title and the times it was won, lost or defended. It tells the story of a hyper-competitive, cutthroat division, one where to strap the belt on your waist meant attaching one of the sport’s largest bull’s eyes to your back.



Continue Reading

https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/The-UFC-Welterweight-Title-A-Visual-History-190691

 

[Vegesus44]

I visual model?

I didn't see shit and there no fucking way I'm clicking on Doh boys website...

 

[Kung Fu Kowboy]

I visual model?

I didn't see shit and there no fucking way I'm clicking on Doh boys website...

You should check it out... it will change your whole way of thinking.

 

[KID Yamamoto]

Late GSP, Hendricks and Lawler era was the best era. Wars and good build up for fights.

 

[RonDante]

Does anyone actually think beating 4 guys in your title wins is better than what gsp did? And even then, 4…?

 

[DOMMA]

GSP is the GOAT. At Welterweight there is no competition. Usman and Hughes are way behind in every measurable statistic.
1. GSP
.
.
.
.
2. Usman or Hughes
Woodley or Lawler
Leon

 

[Fatback96]

Lol someone actually voted Usman as the 170lb GOAT

 

[CannotWin]

This is really not up for grabs at all. Its GSP all the way. The man is The GOAT, period.

 

[Can’t Handle My Riddum]

WW has, over the course of its existence, been my favourite because they’ve had dominant champs.

That being said, every reign looks pretty poor when compared to GSP’s. I also feel that Usman’s reign got way too much credit given two of his defences were against Masvidal who, if we are being honest, had a lightning in the bottle kind of year that led to his first title shot.

Great post!

 

[Blanqa Blanqua]

You should check it out... it will change your whole way of thinking.

it actually was / is a great visual representation.



but only made me feel old and nostalgic

Late GSP, Hendricks and Lawler era was the best era. Wars and good build up for fights.

word

 

[KID Yamamoto]

Does anyone actually think beating 4 guys in your title wins is better than what gsp did? And even then, 4…?

You have to argue Colby being some all time great win for Usmans resume to be even close to as strong as GSP's. Masvidal X2 is awful for a champs resume lol.

 

[Cptn1NSAN0]

GSP easily, (16) top 10 wins and (13) of them were top 5 wins. No one else in MMA history comes close to this kind of resume.

 

[Kung Fu Kowboy]

GSP easily, (15) top 10 wins and (13) of them were top 5 wins. No one else in MMA history comes close to this kind of resume.

Plus he went to the death... and survived

 

[RonDante]

You have to argue Colby being some all time great win for Usmans resume to be even close to as strong as GSP's. Masvidal X2 is awful for a champs resume lol.

I have to say this even if it’s unpopular, but I think both colby wins were controversial. There were two “fouls” colby had on usman that usman later admitted he didn’t feel, and one was right after colby had hurt him, then he hits colby in the back of the head twice, and I don’t mean behind the ear I mean back of the head, then Goddard stops the fight after only a few seconds while colbys legs are still cocked, who then springs up as soon as without any trouble and no wobbly legs. I had colby up 3 rounds to 1 going into the fifth.

Then the second fight, depending on how you score the second round, I had a draw or win for colby, and I really don’t think the last three rounds are as close as the judging scores make them seem, I scored them quite clearly for colby first time watching, and maybe this is appeal to authority but Henry cejudo in one of his videos also said he was certain colby had won by the end of the fight

 

[nonoob]

Plus he went to the death... and survived

True.

Even other galaxy-dwelling aliens ( and their alleged probing ) couldn't stop the "Rush" GSP.

 

[Ladder Master]

 

[krelianx]

GSP by a million miles.

Sherk was to become LW champ. Penn was former WW champ and LW champ. Condit was interim WW champ. Hendricks would become WW champ. Diaz was Bellator WW champ. Shields was SF MW champ, Serra was WW champ, Hughes was WW champ...

Also if you look at the records and ranks of his opponents GSP is the GOAT clearly.

 

[Poatan Power]

I do like the visual. Really puts Usman into perspective since his portion of the image is like 3 dudes lol

 

[laleggenda27]

Anyone who picks someone other than GSP shouldn't be taken seriously.

 

[J Danger]

GSP
Hughes