Georges St. Pierre and Matt Hughes are among the greatest UFC welterweight fighters and have had a few epic bouts. Their third fight was no exception as they squared off in the main event of UFC 79: Nemesis in a match for the vacant UFC Welterweight Interim Title.
These two intense competitors put everything on the line until St. Pierre was able to get Hughes to the ground and claim the title via submission at the 4:54 mark of the second round.
The fight between Pierre and Hughes at UFC 79 isn't the only bout between the two fighters that makes our top 10 list. A previous fight between these two fighters at UFC 65: Bad Intentions also makes our list.
Matt Hughes walked into this one confident and with the UFC Welterweight Title belt strapped around his waist, but GSP was focused and ready to do whatever it took to make sure Hughes didn't leave with the title. After a series of kicks and punches to the head, Hughes crumpled to the mat and the official was forced to stop the fight granting St. Pierre the title.
Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz both have reputations for being merciless competitors. When UFC pits them against each other, we're in for quite a spectacle, and we got the opportunity to see them square off twice in 2016.
The first time these two fought was in the main event at UFC 196, and McGregor came in as a heavy favorite. At the 4:12 mark of round two, Nate Diaz shocked the UFC world by forcing Connor McGregor to submit to a rear-naked chokehold.
It wouldn't take long for McGregor to get a shot at revenge as these two fighters signed to meet in the octagon a few months later in August at UFC 202. The two competitors came in at nearly even odds after Diaz proved he could beat McGregor the first time these two met. This second match up not only makes our list of the top 10 welterweights of all time, but went down as one of the greatest UFC matches in history.
This match went the distance with both Diaz and McGregor searching for an opportunity for knockout or submission, but both fighters were at the top of their game and neither had gained the upper hand by the time the bell signaled the end of the fifth round and the match. With neither fighter clearly winning in the octagon, this one came down to a judge's decision. Once the judges had their say, McGregor had won and had his revenge for his previous loss to Diaz in April.
Once again a match involving GSP makes the top 10 rankings, this time against "The Terror" Matt Serra. St. Pierre came into this match as the UFC Welterweight Champion and a heavy favorite. Most oddsmakers and UFC fans gave Serra little chance.
At 3:25 in the first round, Serra let a flurry of punches fly, and St. Pierre was no longer able to continue giving Serra the win via TKO. Serra's victory in April of 2007 is still considered the biggest upset in UFC history today.
In February of 2012, Nate Diaz and Carlos Condit met in Las Vegas to fight for the vacant UFC Interim Welterweight Championship. Nate Diaz entered the ring as a slight favorite to take the title, but Condit wasn't really considered much of an underdog giving fight fans hope for an epic bout.
Diaz and Condit didn't disappoint and fought for five rounds without a winner in the ring. After conferring, the judges awarded the victory to Carlos Condit by unanimous decision.
The main event at UFC 171 was a fight between "Big Rig" Johny Hendricks and "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler for the vacant UFC Welterweight Title.
Both fighters proved they had the will and desire to take home the belt, but neither was able to get the other to submit. For five hard rounds Lawler and Hendricks searched for an opening to knock out the other, but both were just as determined to win the title. In the end, Hendricks was awarded the title via the judge's decision.
St. Pierre once again makes our list, proving that he's been a steady headliner for most of his career.
At UFC 167, welterweight champion St. Pierre was set to defend against Johny Hendricks is what was expected to be a fairly even bout.
Like many of the greatest UFC fights of all time, this one went the distance with no winner in the octagon, and it came down to points from the judges. In what has been called a controversial decision, St. Pierre retained his title as two out of the three judges had him ahead on points by the narrowest of margins.
One half of the co-main event at UFC 189 featured a UFC Welterweight Title fight between reigning champ Robbie Lawler and challenger Rory MacDonald. This was the second time these fierce competitors stepped into the octagon against each other, and this bout would outdo the first.
The two fighters dish out punishment for a grueling four rounds, and it looked like this one may go the distance and fall into the hands of the judges. However, Lawler came out strong and held on to his title by knocking out MacDonald at the one-minute mark of the final round.
We round out our list with a welterweight title fight between two UFC competitors who been involved in some of the greatest matches in UFC history. In the main event at UFC 115, Robbie Lawler was set to defend his title against Carlos Condit.
Oddsmakers had the match even, and the competitors proved that there was absolutely nothing between them as they battled until the final bell ending the fifth round and the fight. Like so many great matches, this one came down to the judges and it was still a close call with Lawler retaining his title after a split decision was announced.