3. Robbie Lawler
Even without the recent run that saw him finally fulfill his potential and rise to the peak of the UFC’s welterweight division, Lawler would still be one of the sport’s all-time great punchers. UFC President Dana White originally signed him to the promotion way back in 2002 as a birthday present to himself, largely because the young Iowan’s absurdly potent fists reminded him so much of Mike Tyson. While it took Lawler more than a decade, he has finally settled his enormous natural gifts into a sustainable approach that can both generate heart-stopping knockouts and still win decisions against the cream of MMA’s most stacked weight class.
As he has matured and evolved, Lawler’s game has changed. Where he used to wing power punches in the pocket and hoped to douse his opponent in a stream of violent, fight-finishing offense, the Iowan has developed a more patient approach. He flicks a probing jab to draw out his opponent and then counters with those ridiculous left and right hands that are still capable of sucking the life from even incredibly durable opposition. His thudding left kicks rely on the threat of the left hand to manipulate the opponent’s defense, and his newfound skill in the clinch offers him new avenues for landing on entries and exits from the tie-ups.
The welterweight champion has aged like the finest of wines, and the concussive force of his shots has barely dimmed.
Number 2 » His influence on the sport and the development of the promotion is hard to overstate. He was the right fighter in the right place at the right time with the right style, and both he and the promotion capitalized in a huge way.