In terms of legacy, shouldn't fighters who voluntarily move up in weight to take on bigger fighters get more credit than those who eat or naturally grow their way out of their previous weight classes? :think
It always depends on how much the fighter benefitted or was harmed by the process. If a fat f*ck eat his way out of a division harming himself in terms of condition and is still able to establish himself he deserves more credit than a smaller guy that artificially moves up in weight to avoid a tougher competition, for example. Each case is a case.
It shouldn't matter. A fighter's resume is what it is. Whether he grows out of a division or just decides to move up, if he's fighting the top guys in whatever division he's in then he should get credit.