Daniel Cormier
Beginning his career in Strikeforce as a heavyweight, decorated collegiate wrestler Daniel Cormier decided to make the move soon after arriving in the UFC due to teammate Cain Velasquez’s dominance in the division. With a history of weight cut struggles well documented, many predicted that Cormier would struggle to get down to light heavyweight, but ‘DC’ proved his doubters wrong and has since gone on to capture the 205-pound title following a series of dominant performances. An upcoming rematch with former champion Jon Jones will prove if Cormier is really worthy of the belt, but his transformation from large heavyweight has been undeniably impressive.
Anderson Silva
During his 15-fight reign of terror Anderson Silva didn’t just decimate the competition as a middleweight, he proved a complete wrecking ball at light heavyweight as well. Making the jump to the 205 pounds while simultaneously defending his title at 185, Silva’s three trips to the division all ended in devastating finishes. A counter right to James Irvin, a mauling of poor Forrest Griffin, and a knee to the solar plexus of Stephan Bonnar, each inside the opening round only helped further cement the legendary Silva as one of the UFC’s greatest and most feared competitors ever. The competition of the middleweight elite may have finally caught up with Silva, but his seven year, two weight class run will be fondly remembered as one of the greatest of all time.
Frankie Edgar
Considerably undersized in the UFC’s lightweight division, Frankie Edgar defied the odds when he captured the title in 2010 before making a number of successful defenses in instant classic battles. Finally realising the potential in competing against opponents a little better sized, Edgar dropped down to featherweight two years later and hasn’t looked back since. No longer outgunned and outsized, Edgar is now the one enjoying these advantages as he uses his crisp boxing and outstanding grappling to victimise his rivals. ‘The Answer’ might not have captured the title as of writing, but dominant victories over Charles Oliveira, Cub Swanson and most recently Chad Mendes have firmly established him as not only the division’s number one contender, but one of the scariest 145-pounders around.
Dan Henderson
From lightweight to heavyweight, Dan Henderson has literally done it all over the course of his legendary 19-year professional fighting career. Starting out with a successful one-night stint as a lightweight way back in 1997, the decorated former Olympic wrestler has since gone on to compete as a welterweight, middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight, and has never failed to produce a winning effort in each. A successful ‘H-Bomb’-fuelled run in Japan cemented ‘Hendo’ as a dangerous proposition for any welterweight or middleweight competition, but his return to America in 2007 saw the two-time Pride champion test himself against increasingly heavier opponents, culminating in a stunning first round knockout of the great Fedor Emelianenko. An incredible achievement for someone who made a name for himself competing against the likes of Carlos Newton!
BJ Penn
Despite competing in the lighter weight classes for the majority of his career, the legendary BJ Penn managed to find success at welterweight, middleweight, and even competed against Lyoto Machida in a special 225 pound catchweight bout in 2005. Traversing the weight classes wasn’t a desperate attempt to find success, Penn legitimately wanted to test himself against the best the sport had to offer, regardless of their size. Notoriously competitive - and rightfully so considering his world-class Jiu-Jitsu, superb boxing, and general love of what he called ‘the scrap’ - Penn didn’t just settle after strangling Joe Stevenson to win the lightweight title, he wanted more and got his wish when he secured the chance to try and become the first UFC fighter to simultaneously hold gold in two divisions. He might have fallen short in his effort against then-welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, ‘The Prodigy’s’ famous victories across a multitude of classes had already secured his position as an all-time great long before.
Who is your favourite multi-weight class fighter? Will Conor McGregor find success in the UFC’s lightweight division? Leave your comments below!
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