# Who is the best UFC lightweight champion of all time?

> Only men who held the undisputed 155-pound belt are counted here, so interim titles don't qualify. Some reigns stacked defense after defense, and others were over within months.

*By YPB Team · Published November 9, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/who-is-the-best-ufc-lightweight-champion-of-all-time*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Khabib Nurmagomedov** — score 1000/1000
   Won the vacant title at UFC 223 in 2018, defended it against Conor McGregor, Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje, and retired unbeaten at 29-0.
2. **Islam Makhachev** — score 669/1000
   Dagestani who submitted Charles Oliveira at UFC 280 in 2022 and made four defenses, a division record, before vacating in 2025 to move to welterweight.
3. **Conor McGregor** — score 579/1000
   Irishman who knocked out Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 in New York in 2016, becoming the first fighter to hold UFC titles in two divisions at the same time.
4. **Eddie Alvarez** — score 535/1000
   Former Bellator champion who stopped Rafael dos Anjos in the first round in July 2016 to win the title, which he lost to Conor McGregor four months later.
5. **Charles Oliveira** — score 525/1000
   Brazilian who stopped Michael Chandler for the vacant title at UFC 262 in 2021 and submitted Dustin Poirier in his one defense before missing weight in 2022.
6. **Sean Sherk** — score 463/1000
   Won the vacant title against Kenny Florian at UFC 64 in 2006 and defended it once before being stripped in December 2007 after a positive steroid test.
7. **Frankie Edgar** — score 392/1000
   Took the belt from B.J. Penn at UFC 112 in Abu Dhabi in 2010, beat Penn again in a rematch and went 1-0-1 in two title fights with Gray Maynard.
8. **Jens Pulver** — score 392/1000
   The first UFC lightweight champion, who won the title against Caol Uno at UFC 30 in 2001 and defended it against Dennis Hallman and B.J. Penn.
9. **Justin Gaethje** — score 392/1000
   Two-time interim champion who beat Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250 on the White House South Lawn in June 2026 to win the undisputed title.
10. **B.J. Penn** — score 211/1000
   Hawaiian who won the title against Joe Stevenson at UFC 80 in 2008 and made three defenses, against Sean Sherk, Kenny Florian and Diego Sanchez.
11. **Anthony Pettis** — score 210/1000
   Submitted Benson Henderson with an armbar at UFC 164 in Milwaukee in 2013 and defended the belt against Gilbert Melendez at UFC 181.
12. **Rafael dos Anjos** — score 210/1000
   Brazilian who won the UFC lightweight title from Anthony Pettis at UFC 185 in March 2015 and defended it once, against Donald Cerrone, before losing it to Eddie Alvarez in 2016.
13. **Ilia Topuria** — score 210/1000
   Former featherweight champion who knocked out Charles Oliveira at UFC 317 in June 2025 to win the vacant lightweight title.
14. **Benson Henderson** — score 0/1000
   Won the title from Frankie Edgar at UFC 144 in Japan in 2012 and defended it three times, against Edgar, Nate Diaz and Gilbert Melendez.

Tags: sports, ufc, fighters, mma, champions