Stephen Thompson reacts during UFC 205 Weigh-ins at Madison Square Garden on November 11, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson has had quite the UFC career already: two title fights, six finishes and eight post-fight bonuses — tied for third-most in welterweight history. He’s never captured a UFC title, but that’s not eating him up at night. The Simpsonville, South Carolina native has no regrets.
“I’m fully content in what I’m doing because I’m doing it for myself, not because I want something,” Thompson told RG. “I’m fully content with who I’m fighting and when I’m fighting. I don’t need anything from the UFC.”
However, Thompson acknowledged that he would like one thing from the organization before he puts down the gloves: a spot in the UFC Hall of Fame.
“I’ve been with them for a very long time and have done the best I can to represent who I am and the UFC,” Thompson said. “It would be cool to go down in UFC history. It would be cool to be able to do that, to be in the Hall of Fame. I think that would be sick.”
But retirement isn't on Thompson's mind just yet. Despite being 41 years old, the world-class striker is still a force to be reckoned with in the UFC’s welterweight division.
After 12 years in the promotion, Thompson is still taking on all comers and fighting top contenders. At the end of last year, he fought the undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov, who is widely seen as the man next in line for a title shot at 170 pounds.
Thompson doesn’t have to take these fights. A fighter in his position is well within his rights to sit back and finish his career taking “fun fights” against big names and opponents who best complement his Karate-centric style.
Instead, he’s responding to callouts from up-and-coming fighters half his age, many of whom are looking to build up their resume by beating an accomplished striker and fan-favorite name in Thompson.
“I’m a veteran of the game,” Thompson said. “I’ve been in the top 10, since 2014, 2015, something like that, maybe even before that. So I’ve been at the top for a long time. I think people are looking at me as that gatekeeper to make it to that top.”
Come October, he’ll be stepping into the cage against Joaquin Buckley, a 30-year-old brawler whose highlight reel is packed with explosive knockouts. Like many of his recent opponents, Thompson took the fight in response to a callout from Buckley.
It’s a badge he wears with pride.
“I always look at the positive side of things,” Thompson said. “So I think it’s pretty cool that people want to fight me because they know that in order to make it to that top, you have to beat Wonderboy, which to me is a really cool thing.”
He may be on the wrong side of 40, but Thompson says he’s far from done testing himself against the UFC’s best. When he does call it quits in the cage, he says he might hop back in the kickboxing ring to return to his bread and butter.
“When I put the gloves down in the octagon, I don’t think that means I’m done for good, maybe just with MMA,” Thompson said. “It’s the wrestling that’s more damaging to my body than anything else. But I feel like I can strike for days. I can kickbox anybody.”
Erik Uebelacker is a legal reporter for Courthouse News Service, where he covers high-profile trials in New York City. In his spare time, he likes to write about people punching each other in the face.
