UFC welterweight rankings: Who is the best welterweight fighter?

The Ultimate Fighting Championship, UFC, is the world's number one mixed martial arts MMA competition. Whether it is the featherweight, bantamweight, pound-for-pound, middleweight, or UFC welterweight rankings, all of these top-ranked fighters in promotion face off in a series of different weight divisions.

The UFC welterweight category has some of the most talented and famous fighters in the sport. From the legendary sensations in the days of Georges St-Pierre, the division is full of some of the promotion's most skilled stars.

UFC welterweight rankings as of 2022

Fans have been asking who the 170-pound UFC champions are, especially when ranking the UFC welterweight champions of all time. According to recent data analysis, here are the top ten 170-pound fighters in the best cage fighting sport in the world.

10. Sean Brady - 15-1

Outside of Khamzat Chimaev, Brady could be the next great rising monster in the division. And while he may not be quite as fierce as the Russian, the Philadelphia native has indescribable grappling skills that intimidate his opponents every time.

Full name	Sean Thomas Brady
Date of birth	23 November 1992
Place of birth	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the United States of America
Age	30 years old as of November 2022
Nationality	American
Height	5 feet 9 inches or 175 centimetres
Weight	170 pounds or 77 kilograms
Win streak	15
Record	15-1
Next encounter	To be determined

9. Jorge Masvidal - 35-16-0

Even though Jorge Masvidal is currently at a career crossroads, having failled to progress to the next step, it does not mean that he cannot take part in some highly entertaining fights in the near future.

Full name	Jorge Masvidal
Date of birth	12 November 1984
Place of birth	Miami, Florida, the United States of America
Age	48 years of age as of November 2022
Nationality	American
Height	5 feet 11 inches or 180 centimetres
Weight	170 pounds or 77 kilograms
Win streak	12
Record	35-16-0
Next encounter	To be determined

8. Stephen Thompson - 16-6-1

Unfortunately, like Masvidal Jorge, Thompson's days as a title contender are seemingly done. However, he is still regarded as a skilled fighter who deserves a high-level opposition and fights that would be featured bouts on upcoming pay-per-view main cards.

Full name	Stephen Thompson
Date of birth	11 February 1983
Place of birth	Simpsonville, South Carolina, the United States of America
Age	39 years of age as of November 2022
Nationality	American
Height	6 feet or 183 centimetres
Weight	170 pounds or 77 kilograms
Win streak	5
Record	16-6-1
Next encounter	3 December 2022 (vs Kevin Holland)

7. Vicente Luque - 21-8-1

If there is one UFC mixed martial artist who boasts an outstanding career in the sport, it sure is Vicente Lugue. Gradually, he amassed a 15-3 record and became one of the best welterweights in the world.

However, each time he happens to be on the cusp of serious title contention, he often comes up short. One outstanding example was his UFC Vegas 51 main event defeat to Belal Muhammad. But that, however, does not limit his chances of appearing in the UFC welterweight rankings' history.

Full name	Vicente Luque
Date of birth	27 November 1991
Place of birth	Westwood, New Jersey, United States of America
Age	31 years of age as of November 2022
Nationality	American-Brazilian
Height	5 feet 11 inches or 180 centimetres
Weight	170 pounds or 77 kilograms
Win streak	14
Record	21-8-1
Next encounter	To be determined

6. Gilbert Burns - 20-5

Despite his most recent loss to the rising superstar Khamzat Chimaev, Gilbert Burns remains a world-class welterweight. With a need to win at least three or more fights to return to his previous contender status, the fighter's climb back to that position could begin with an alleged match-up with former title contender Jorge Masvidal.

Full name	Gilbert Alexander Pontes Burns
Date of birth	20 July 1986
Place of birth	Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Age	36 years of age as of November
Nationality	Brazilian
Height	5 feet 10 inches or 178 centimetres
Weight	170 pounds or 77 kilograms
Win streak	6
Record	20-5
Next encounter	To be determined

5. Khamzat Chimaev - 12-0

At the UFC 273, Khamzat Chimaev proved once and for all that he was the real deal. During his encounter with Gilbert Burns, he answered many concerns about his striking abilities, toughness, and fight IQ.

However, he opened up with new questions about his dedication, claiming he had ridiculously lost seven pounds for his UFC 279 main event against Nate Diaz.

Full name	Khamzat Khizarovich Chimaev
Date of birth	1 May 1994
Place of birth	Beno-Yurt, Chechnya, Russia
Age	28 years of age as of November 2022
Nationality	Russian
Height	6 feet 2 inches or 188 centimetres
Weight	170 pounds or 77 kilograms
Win streak	6
Record	12-0
Next encounter	To be determined

4. Colby Covington - 17-3

Having beaten Jorge Masvidal at UFC 272, Covington earned revenge and retribution by solidifying his spot in the top three of the division. Consequently, he sent his former best friend to the back of the contention line. Therefore, it should not be surprising that he ranks among the top five welterweights.

Full name	Colby Ray Covington
Date of birth	22 February 1988
Place of birth	Clovis, California, the United States of America
Age	34 years of age as of November 2022
Nationality	America
Height	5 feet 11 inches or 180 centimetres
Weight	170 pounds or 77 kilograms
Win streak	1
Record	17-3
Next encounter	To be determined

3. Belal Muhammad - 22-3

As of November 2022, you can no longer doubt the talents of Belal Muhammad. He has beaten Demian Maia, Stephen Thompson, and League in his last three fights. So, how can his nine-fight unbeaten streak not be worthy of a title opportunity?

Full name	Belal Muhammad
Date of birth	July 9, 1988
Place of birth	Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
Age	5 feet 10 inches or 178 centimetres
Nationality	American
Height	5 feet or 10 inches or 178 centimetres
Weight	170 pounds or 77 kilograms
Win streak	8
Record	22-3
Next encounter	To be determined

Who is the best welterweight in the world as of November 2022

As of November 2022, Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman are regarded as the best welterweight fighters in the world. Even though both fights are to be determined, these two mixed martial fighters are known to be the faces of the sport.

2. Kamaru Usman - 20-2

A small mistake prevented Usman from tying Anderson Silva for the most title defences in UFC history. His unique struggle came during his encounter with Leon Edwards. It will be a weird moment to see Usman as a challenger for his next Octagon appearance. His next fight is highly anticipated.

Full name	Kamarudeen Usman
Date of birth	11 May 1987
Place of birth	Auchi, Nigeria
Age	35 years of age as of November 2022
Nationality	Nigerian
Height	6 feet or 183 centimetes
Weight	170 pounds or 77 kilograms
Win streak	15
Record	20-3
Next encounter	To be determined

1. Leon Edwards - 20-3

Leon Edwards is ranked the best welterweight worldwide as of November 2022. He shook up the mixed martial arts world with his last-minute knockout of the best fighter of his generation, Kamaru Usman, during the UFC 278 event.

The trilogy bout between the two is sure to come early next year and will be one of the most anticipated in the division in the history of UFC.

Full name	Leon Edwards
Date of birth	25 August 1991
Place of birth	Kingston, Jamaica
Age	31 years of age as of November 2022
Nationality	Jamaican
Height	6 feet or 183 centimetes
Weight	170 pounds or 77 kilograms
Win streak	10
Record	20-3
Next encounter	To be determined

UFC welterweight rankings as of November 2022 are pretty impressive. With all of the listed fighters being champions in their way, they both try to do their best whenever they are tackling their opponents in those octagons.

READ ALSO: UFC flyweight rankings: Who is the best flyweight fighter?

Sportsbrief.com has recently published an article about UFC flyweight rankings. Since its inception in the UFC in 2012, the flyweight division has been a frequently ignored weight class. The UFC had considered eliminating the flyweight division as recently as 2019 due to the rivalry between Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno.

After Figueiredo's victory over Moreno in their trilogy match at UFC 270, both men have established themselves as two of the sport's all-time greats at 125 pounds. Click on the link above to find more information about the best flyweight fighters.

Source: Sports Brief News