The space between 157 and 171 pounds has served as a staging point for a host of all-time greats and some of the most influential fighters in mixed martial arts history.
The welterweight division has been a scene of volatility at times and stability at others. Torches have been passed, pages turned, from pioneers like Hayato Sakurai, Pat Miletich and Jose Landi-Jons and forces of nature like Matt Hughes and Georges St. Pierre to knockout artists like Robbie Lawler and otherworldly athletes like Tyron Woodley.