Georges St-Pierre
Demetrious Johnson
Stat by stat
Bars are scaled to the leader in this list.
The verdict
Georges St-Pierre leads 3 of 4 categories. Our all-time ranking places Georges St-Pierre at #2 and Demetrious Johnson at #5.
The case for Georges St-Pierre
The most dominant welterweight in history and a paragon of preparation, GSP retired at 26-2 having avenged both losses. He first won the welterweight title from Matt Hughes at UFC 65 in 2006, suffered a stunning upset knockout by Matt Serra in 2007, then reclaimed the belt and never lost again, defending it nine consecutive times against a murderer's row that included B.J. Penn, Jon Fitch, Thiago Alves, Jake Shields and Nick Diaz. Famous for tailoring a specific game plan to every opponent — wrestling strikers and out-striking wrestlers — he combined an elite jab with suffocating top control. After a four-year hiatus he returned at UFC 217 in 2017 to submit middleweight champion Michael Bisping, becoming a two-division titleholder, then retired on top. His run of 13 title-fight wins stood as a record and his professionalism reshaped the sport.
The case for Demetrious Johnson
'Mighty Mouse' is arguably the most technically complete fighter of all time, a flyweight who mastered every phase without a defining weakness. As the inaugural UFC flyweight champion he set the record for most consecutive title defenses with 11, a run of dominance from 2013 to 2018 in which he blended world-class striking, wrestling and submissions into a seamless whole. His suplex directly into an armbar against Ray Borg at UFC 216 in 2017 is one of the most spectacular finishes in history. Because he competed in the sport's lightest and least-promoted division, his brilliance was often underappreciated relative to bigger names. Traded to ONE Championship in 2018, he won that promotion's flyweight grand prix and title and delivered a flying-knee knockout of Adriano Moraes in 2022. He retired around 25-4-1, revered by peers as a fighter's fighter and a technician without equal.