Worst fighter to become champion?

[MMAcolyte]

The most recent awful champs would have to be GDR and Montano, I can't think of any other fighters in the last decade I would consider to be awful as champs.

There were plenty in the older school of the UFC though like Dave Menne, Tim Sylvia, Jens Pulver, Matt Serra, Carlos Newton, etc.
There have been some good fighters who over achieved and held the belt briefly like Bisping, Alverez, Holm, Forrest and I would say Couture at HW.

Yes Holm is not that great in terms of holding the title, lost on her first defense and she's been riding the wave of KOing Rousey when she was queen of MMA.

Edit: Forgot Esparza, she was actually pretty awful.

Lol isn't Couture a three time HW champ? Who defended his HW belt? Kind of a weird one to throw in there.

Alvarez is clearly not the worst fighter to become champ, that's kinda preposterous, TS.

Nico Montana or whatever is the extremely obvious answer, imo.

 

[felmmando]

I think Forrest Griffin has to be up there.

Alvarez is a harebrained pick!

 

[Tchernobog]

Dave Menne, Nicco Montano and to a lesser degree Forrest Griffin IMO

 

[felmmando]

Are you a Julio Cesar Chavez Mexican or a Canelo Alvarez Mexican? Cause I’ve got purely European ancestry and am a Mexican according to my passport... not Latino...

I'm an Arely Muciño Mexican and have no idea what you're asking.

 

[jk7707]

He was competitive against Hughes when Hughes was king tho

When was that?

 

[FIMN]

Steve Jennum

 

[crabmeat]

Steve Jennum

He just cruised into that one. To think, Jennum inspired GSP.

 

[Prologue]

Montano. Not even close. Like the distance from the Earth to the Sun.

 

[Gambit MMA]

Nicco montano, followed by esparza

 

[Deleted member 512089]

Men : eddie alvarez. Not a good wrestler, not a good bjj guy, not a slick striket. But an awesome brawler with a medium chin and super high level recovery.

Women: where do I start ? Montano obviously

 

[Deleted member 512089]

Dude really said Eddie Alvarez is the worst fighter to ever become champion.......

His UFC run sucked. It literally can be summarized like that: he landed a big punch against RDA.

 

[BangBang]

Esparza???

Leave the cookie monster out of this

 

[Sad Dad]

Matt Serra. Dude came out of NOWHERE and miraculously won the belt, from GSP no less. It was simultaneously a disgrace and the ultimate Rocky story of MMA.

No Matt Serra at his true weight class of 155 had flashes of brilliance tbh

 

[ssx]

Forrest Griffin may not be the worst, but he got a ton of love from the UFC and is terrible.

 

[BROWNPRIDE]

By far Forrest

 

[King in the North]

Montaño is the worst.


For men: Tim Sylvia, Michael Bisping, Forrest Griffin maybe.

 

[Lee_]

Steve Jenum

 

[Reileyb]

Lol isn't Couture a three time HW champ? Who defended his HW belt? Kind of a weird one to throw in there.

Alvarez is clearly not the worst fighter to become champ, that's kinda preposterous, TS.

Nico Montana or whatever is the extremely obvious answer, imo.

My opinion on Couture might be me comparing his lhw career where he beat most of the absolute best with his HW career which felt like little stints where he didn't actually fight that many of the best heavy weights but still managed to overachieve and reach the title, fully understand anyone who disagrees with me though, Couture was great overall.

 

[Chael_Sonnen]

Alvarez is fucking good.

 

[GearSolidMetal]

I think Forrest Griffin has to be up there.

No way. Forrest wasn't a jack of all trades and a far cry from a master of any of them, but he showed fucking heart in the octagon up until the Anderson Silva fight.

I can think of more than five champions off the top of my head that were far worse than Griffin.

Alvarez
Hendricks
Sylvia
Rockhold
McGregor
Holm
Tate