Under the Microscope: Analyzing Welterweight Greats

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Ben Askren

* Welterweight Record: 11-0 (1.000)
* Opponent Winning Percentage: .787
* Longest Winning Streak: 11
* Record in Major Welterweight Title Fights: 6-0
* Finish Percentage: 45.5
* Finished Percentage: 0
* Notable Victories: Lyman Good, Jay Hieron, Douglas Lima, Andrey Koreshkov
* Career Accomplishments: Bellator MMA Season 2 welterweight tournament winner; Bellator welterweight champion, with four title defenses; reigning One Fighting Championship welterweight champion

CASE FOR: The “Funky” one has never been shy about proclaiming his own G.O.A.T. status -- and for good reason. He has the numbers to back it up. Despite fighting exclusively outside the UFC, Askren has the statistically toughest opponents of anyone on this list. That legitimizes his undefeated record even more than previously thought. On top of that, he has a solid finish rate -- greater than George St. Pierre’s -- in spite of accusations that he is a boring fighter. That he has become champion in both major organizations he has been a part of is telling, and should he come to terms with the UFC and jump in the shark tank of its welterweight division, he could very well cement his legacy as the best that ever fought at 170 pounds.

CASE AGAINST: Being the best outside the UFC can only get you so far. While the numbers do not lie about his strength of opposition, there is a statistical fallacy embedded in there, a chain reaction that reflects his own big fish-small pond situation. Askren has beaten a lot of people who beat a lot of nobodies. As a result, his numbers are inflated somewhat artificially; if you stack up his list of opponents next to most of the other entrants on this list on a name-by-name basis, Askren’s just does not hold up. Said differently, he has no signature win over a fellow premier fighter. His competition is reflective of his overall career flaw: He is undeniably good, but there is still much to be proven regarding his greatness.

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