Why they rank here
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.
Career profile
Each bar shows how this athlete compares with the strongest in our all-time list for that metric.
Head-to-head
Compare career numbers side by side.