Top 5 MMA Lightweights of All Time

Happy New Year Diesel Crew! 2021 was 20 years since Jen’s Pulver was crowned the first ever UFC Lightweight Champion. It’s also marked 20 years since Davie Menne was crowned the first ever UFC Middleweight Champion. Now we go into 2022 we’re going to look back at the 5 best fighters of each division in our sport so far.

This month we will be looking back through the ages to see who the Top 5 fighters of each weight class in MMA are. We’ve already looked at the 5 Best Featherweights, and we’re going to keep climbing up in weight from there.

Number 5: Khabib Nurmagomedov:

Notable wins: Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier, Rafael Dos Anjos

We should have started with a disclaimer that this list will likely annoy a lot of casuals. Khabib is in an awkward spot where it’s hard to assess how great he really was. While he was undefeated, he only beat three truly great lightweights in his career. He certainly beat a lot of popular fighters, but despite brand recognition, the likes of Conor McGregor and Edson Barboza are not top level lightweights.

However, Khabib always had an air about him from the moment he debuted. It wasn’t ‘if’ he won the lightweight title, but ‘when’. Khabib fought with relentless pace and brutal sambo skills. He would wear an opponent down before tapping them out on the ground. Despite never having great takedowns, his ability as a chain wrestler allowed him to keep the fight on the ground from start to finish. Unfortunately, he never fought Tony Ferguson, the fight that could have placed him higher on the list had he won it.

Greatest moment:
Defeating Justin Gaethje, possibly his hardest match up, before breaking down in tears in the ring paying tribute to his deceased father.

Number 4: Shinya Aoki

Notable wins: Eddie Alvarez, Lyle Beerbohm, Taysuya Kawajiri, Satoru Kitaoka

Shinya Aoki is one of the most influential fighters to grappling. We see Garry Tonon, Gordon Ryan, and Eddie Bravo, and the work they have done to further no-gi grappling in innovative new ways and none of it would be possible without Shinya Aoki.

Aoki was one of several prominent fighters from Japan to make their name in Pride and later Dream (the same promotion that brought Alistair Overeem to prominence in MMA). He sported a dynamic and frankly loony style of grappling, going for flying triangles and armbars while possessing next to no striking ability whatsoever. Despite that he was able to get wins over even the great Eddie Alvarez thanks to his unusual and highly technical style.

Greatest moment:
Accidentally breaking an opponents arm with an Aikido move. Shinya lived to do the impossible.

Number 3: B.J. Penn

Notable wins: Matt Serra, Renzo Gracie, Sean Sherk, Kenny Florian (along with several high profile welterweight wins)

B.J. Penn would be number one on may other peoples lists. B.J. Penn would also rank higher pound for pound than every one else on this list. What B.J. was able to do when he actually cared about fighting and training was insane. Not only was he able to move up to welterweight, but he was able to beat the best welterweight fighters around. Only falling short to GSP in his prime.

B.J. Penn had simple but for the time, sharp boxing, along with phenomenal BJJ skills, achieving black belt in only three years. Unfortunately B.J. Penn didn’t have the longevity of other fighters on this list.

Greatest moment:
Getting fat and fighting Lyoto Machida at Light Heavyweight for literally no reason. The most unbelievable part of it? He was competitive.

Number 2: Tony Ferguson

Notable wins: Rafael Dos Anjos, Anthony Pettis, Kevin Lee, Donald Cerrone

The 10^th Planet Black Belt himself. Tony Ferguson cheated in every fight he competed in, whether it was a low blow, an eyepoke, an upkick or some other illegal strike – but it can’t be denied that when he was in his prime, Ferguson was the best lightweight in the division. Never winning the undisputed title due to the apparent curse on him and Khabib, preventing them from ever fighting. Ferguson was still able to beat the vast majority of the best fighters in the world, without even really having basic fundamentals.

Unfortunately this came to an end once he fought Justin Gaethje, a monster power puncher with solid fundamentals. Ferguson took a lot of damage in that fight, and doesn’t seem to have ever been able to truly recover.

Regardless of that loss, he has achieved more than most ever will.

Greatest moment:
Meeting the ultimate pressure fighter, Rafael Dos Anjos’ pressure, with even more pressure and somehow coming out on top.

Number 1: Eddie Alvarez

Notable wins: Anthony Pettis, Michael Chandler, Gilbert Melendez, Patricky Freire, Justin Gaethje

The Underground King lived up to his moniker. He was eternally under rated in the UFC, due to having back to back boring fights with Pettis and Melendez. The UFC fans turned on him and despite being the best lightweight in the world, Alvarez never got the respect he deserved.

Fighting in every relevant MMA promotion around, Alvarez was consistently at the top of his division, defeating fighters across multiple generations, from Shinya Aoki to Justin Gaethje. He defeated more world champions than any other lightweight on the list, with wins over Bellator, WEC, Strikeforce and UFC champions

Greatest moment:
Defeating Rafael Dos Anjos and becoming the most decorated lightweight fighter of all time.