Best UFC Lightweights of All Time: Top 9 155-Pound Legends Ranked

The UFC lightweight division (155 pounds) has a strong argument as the promotion’s deepest weight class: long title reigns, era-defining stylistic matchups, and a never-ending conveyor belt of contenders.

This ranking leans on championship greatness (wins + defenses), quality of opposition, peak dominance, longevity at lightweight, and historical impact.

Best UFC Lightweights of All Time: Top 9 Ranked

1) Khabib Nurmagomedov

If you’re building the “most unbeatable” lightweight ever, Khabib is the first name. He won the belt and defended it three times, including wins over Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje—each a signature matchup from the era’s elite.

2) Islam Makhachev

Makhachev has the cleanest title résumé at 155: he won the belt and then defended it four straight times (including two wins over Alexander Volkanovski), setting the consecutive lightweight title-defense mark before vacating.
When you mix elite control grappling with improving finishing and big-fight consistency, his case as the division’s most complete champion is hard to top.

3) B.J. Penn

At his best, Penn was a problem nobody solved cleanly. He logged three lightweight title defenses in his reign (Sherk, Florian, Sanchez) and helped define what “well-rounded” meant in the modern UFC lightweight game.

4) Benson Henderson

Henderson’s reign was built on durability, pace, and doing the small things over five rounds. He captured the belt from Frankie Edgar and then defended three times (including the Edgar rematch and Gilbert Melendez), stacking a champion’s résumé in one of the division’s most competitive windows.

5) Frankie Edgar

Edgar’s lightweight prime was relentless: footwork, volume, takedown threats, and five-round cardio. He defended the title twice and also retained it via draw vs. Gray Maynard, giving him one of the toughest “championship schedule” runs at 155.

6) Charles Oliveira

Oliveira’s lightweight peak was chaos in the best way: pressure, clinch offense, and constant submission danger. He won the title, defended it once, and even with the weight-miss drama, his all-time UFC finishing/submission records put him firmly in the division’s inner circle.

7) Rafael dos Anjos

RDA’s lightweight run blended physicality with layered striking and nasty top control. He won the title and defended it once (vs. Donald Cerrone), and his sheer amount of high-level cage time at lightweight speaks to both longevity and level of competition.

8) Anthony Pettis

“Showtime” didn’t just win—he influenced how people fought at 155. He captured the belt from Henderson and defended it once, and his highlight-reel style (kicks, traps, opportunistic submissions) changed what fans expected from a lightweight champion.

9) Jens Pulver

The early UFC lightweight division needed a cornerstone, and Pulver was it. He won the inaugural lightweight title and defended it twice—an achievement that matters more when you remember how different (and chaotic) the sport’s infrastructure was in that era.

Worth a mention (but just missed)

• Sean Sherk (title win + defense, but stripped)
• Conor McGregor (iconic title win, zero defenses; historically massive impact)
• Current champ watch: Ilia Topuria is the reigning UFC lightweight champion (won June 2025; no defenses yet), but it’s simply too early for an all-time top-9 case.