At one point, some started to wonder if Stephen Thompson still had it. That quickly changed after his most recent performance.
At one point, some started to wonder if [autotag]Stephen Thompson[/autotag] still had it. But that quickly changed after his most recent performance.
Heading into his fight against Vicente Luque this past November at UFC 244, Thompson (15-4-1 MMA, 10-4-1 UFC) was coming off back-to-back losses and had been knocked out for the first time in his career by former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis.
His performance against Luque ended up being one of the finest of his career, proving he’s still very much a player in the welterweight division.
But Thompson admitted there was a little added pressure to perform.
“Deep down, I felt like it was (a must win),” Thompson told MMA Junkie. “Because you know, I’ve had those losses and I was just knocked out, and I took all summer off to just kind of find myself and really give myself time to heal up from that knockout. But yeah, deep down, I felt like I had to win this fight. But I try and keep my mind off of it.”
The two-time UFC welterweight title challenger thinks he still has a lot left in the tank.
“I had some controversial losses, and then I ended up getting knocked out by Anthony Pettis – which was a first for me,” Thompson said. “I’ve never been knocked out in my entire fight career, so people were talking on social media saying, ‘Does Stephen still have it? Has his chin been affected by that?’ I’m 37, and I’m not getting any younger. But I feel like I’m 23, 24 years old, to be honest with you.
“I wanted to show the fans and the UFC that you haven’t seen the last of Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson – that I’m just as good, or getting even better. I’m still improving every day, and of course when I go back and watch that fight against Vicente Luque, there’s always something that I could have done better. And that’s the kind of mindset I have in a fight, win or loss.”
Already familiar with him, Stephen Thompson breaks down a potential fight between Jorge Masvidal and UFC welterweight champ Kamaru Usman.
[autotag]Stephen Thompson[/autotag] is right back in the mix at 170 pounds.
Thompson snapped a two-fight losing skid with a masterful performance against Vicente Luque this past November, proving he’s still a threat in the division.
UFC welterweight champion [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] is projected to face [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] next, an opponent “Wonderboy” is familiar with.
Thompson is the last man to beat Masvidal, but since then, Masvidal has skyrocketed through the ranks with three straight stoppage wins.
Usman is coming off a “Fight of the Year” contender at UFC 245, taking out Colby Covington in an all out standup war, but Thompson thinks Usman will go back to his usual grapple-heavy approach when facing Masvidal.
“I know Masvidal – he’s got great takedown defense,” Thompson told MMA Junkie. “Usman is a very strong fighter, very strong wrestler. I believe he’s not going to fight Masvidal like he did Colby Covington. I think he’s going to shoot on Masvidal. He’s going to try and take him down where he’s more comfortable. Obviously Masvidal is a phenomenal striker. I faced him and I could see that. So Usman is definitely going to try and shoot.
“If Masvidal can keep the fight standing, can fight off his takedown and keep it standing, I think he wins it all day. Usman, it’s very difficult because that guy is relentless. He’s also got a gas tank, too, and if they do fight, it’s got to be a main event. They’ve got to fight five five-minute rounds. So I think the cardio, the longer the rounds go, it favors Usman. And if it comes to the striking game, it definitely goes to Masvidal for sure.”
[lawrence-related id=504248,501870]
Thompson fell short to former champion Tyron Woodley on two occasions, but with a new king in the division, his route back to the top may now be a lot faster.
His style, with his karate stance and quick blitzes, has given fits to most who have faced him, and he thinks Usman would want nothing to do with the standup if the two were to ever fight.
“Usman is a very intelligent guy. He does his studying,” Thompson said. “He watches his opponents and I can tell that, and I can see that, so I don’t think he would keep the fight standing. He would shoot on me as he does against everybody else in the game, besides Colby Covington because both have a very similar style. I knew that they would want to keep the fight standing and Usman’s striking was amazing in that fight, especially his body shots. So he’s definitely worked on his striking game.
“He’s still getting better every day. But my takedown defense – most of the guys in the division that I’ve faced have been wrestlers and guys that are aggressive, so they kind of play into my style of fighting. So I think he’s going to make some changes and I’m going to be ready for that. My goal is to adapt to everybody that I face out there and in my head, I see him being a relentless wrestler – just getting me up against the cage, trying to tire me out like he does with everybody.”
Stephen Thompson, whose fought for a UFC title twice before, believes a win over any one of these guys would vault him into contention.
[autotag]Stephen Thompson[/autotag] bounced back in a big way and is targeting the top of the welterweight division.
After suffering back-to-back losses to Darren Till and a first career knockout loss to Anthony Pettis, Thompson (15-4-1 MMA, 10-4-1 UFC) drew surging contender Vicente Luque last November at UFC 244. With his back against the wall, Thompson delivered, looking like the fighter who contended for the title twice before.
Now Thompson has his eyes on three particular fighters, whom he sees catapulting him back into title contention.
“I’m looking at Masvidal, I’m looking at Colby Covington and (Leon) Edwards is really who I’m focused on,” Thompson told MMA Junkie. “And you know what, if I don’t get any of those guys, give me a name. Give me Nate Diaz. I would fight that guy in a heartbeat.”
Thompson broke both of his hands against Luque but was able to avoid surgery. He recently has been able to fully spar, but still faces a little difficulty when hitting the bag.
The coronavirus pandemic has put a momentary halt to upcoming UFC events, but Thompson hopes to be able to return by summer.
“Either July, August would be amazing, too,” Thompson said. “I’m in the top five right now, We’re not really sure who they would put me up against. I’m asking for a top-five guy, or give me a name. Colby Covington, Masvidal, if the Tyron (Woodley) and Edwards fight doesn’t happen, maybe Edwards. I mean, that would be an amazing fight, too, so keeping my options open.”
[lawrence-related id=501870,459736]
“Wonderboy” already holds a win over Masvidal in November 2017, but since that loss Masvidal returned from a long layoff and has risen to stardom, taking out Till, Ben Askren and Diaz, en route to capturing the “BMF” title and making the idea of a potential rematch exciting for Thompson.
“He’s kinda given me some inspiration, you know?” Thompson said. “I was his last loss and from then on, he’s been on this awesome winning streak. He’s one of the most popular guys in the UFC right now, and he’s ranked higher than me. Obviously anybody that is ranked above me is an option, so I wouldn’t mind it. I know he’s always game to fight anybody, so yeah, any one of those guys for sure.
“I think Colby Covington is the most predictable out of all. He’s got a gas tank like crazy, and he just shoots, shoots, shoots, and shoots. May not be the most exciting fight, but I wouldn’t mind it, and Edwards is a high-level MMA fighter. When you first saw him, he was more of a striker. Now he’s putting everything together. His wrestling, jiu-jitsu, he was taking it to RDA, controlling him on the ground, the same thing when he fought Vicente Luque, so those guys are very hard to prepare for, but those are the guys I’d like to fight.”
Stephen Thompson took a look back at the first knockout loss of his life at the hands of former UFC champion Anthony Pettis.
Everyone should take notes from [autotag]Stephen Thompson[/autotag] on how to handle a loss.
Throughout his entire kickboxing and MMA career, two-time UFC welterweight title challenger “Wonderboy” had never been stopped in a fight.
But that ended at UFC on ESPN+ 6 in Nashville at the hands of former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis, who had moved up to 170 pounds and was a heavy underdog going into the bout.
It was a technical chess match, but with seconds winding down in Round 2, Pettis threw a Superman punch that Thompson never saw coming. It knocked him out cold.
In typical “NMF” fashion, the always humble Thompson decided to relive that experience with his fans on Twitch, where he rewatched the knockout.
Thompson agonized when he watched himself hit the mat, and even emulated his motions when he stiffened up. He rebounded nicely though, with a unanimous decision win over the streaking Vicente Luque at UFC 244 and picked up a $50,000 bonus to go with it.
They say you’re only as good as your last fight, but the Pettis loss might take a while for Thompson to forget about. At least he’s a good sport about it.
The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.
After every event, fans wonder whom the losing fighters will be matched up with next.
With another night of UFC action in the rearview mirror, it’s time to look forward, put on a pair of Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard’s shoes, and play UFC matchmaker for UFC 246’s most notable fighters.
Those fighters include [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag] (36-14 MMA, 23-11 UFC), who suffered a first-round TKO loss to Conor McGregor (22-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) in the welterweight headliner at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, as well as [autotag]Anthony Pettis[/autotag] (22-10 MMA, 9-9 UFC) and [autotag]Maycee Barber[/autotag] (8-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC).
* * * *
Maycee Barber
Antonina Shevchenko
Should fight: [autotag]Antonina Shevchenko[/autotag] Why they should fight: The hype of Barber took a critical hit when, as a massive favorite, she faltered against Roxanne Modafferi and suffered a unanimous decision loss.
Fortunately for Barber, this fight will only serve as a learning experience. She battled through the adversity of a cut and a knee injury but still managed to go the distance. At 21, she can only grow from this moment, but the outcome certainly pushes back her timeline of wanting to be the youngest champion in UFC history.
As far as her next move, almost any fight would be appropriate for Barber in the women’s flyweight division. It remains to be seen how long her injuries will keep her out, but when she’s ready, a matchup with Shevchenko (8-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC), who experienced a similarly disappointing outcome against Modafferi not long ago, would be a good fit.
Anthony Pettis
Alexander Hernandez
Should fight: [autotag]Alexander Hernandez[/autotag] Why they should fight: For the first time in years, Pettis is sitting on a two-fight losing skid. His UFC record is even at 9-9, and now there’s questions about what the future holds for “Showtime.”
Pettis still has a number of fights left on his UFC contract, so anyone clamoring for him to go elsewhere is being premature. It’s hard to imagine he’s in any position to pick fights, though, so he may have to take what the UFC gives him.
That could mean having to take a fight against another upstart lightweight contender like Ferreira, and Hernandez (11-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) is just that. “The Great” faltered the first time he had a marquee fight against Donald Cerrone in January 2019, but he’s matured and picked up a win since then. Perhaps he gets a different result against Pettis, who would need to get a victory to prove he still has something left in the tank.
Donald Cerrone
Stephen Thompson
Should fight: [autotag]Stephen Thompson[/autotag] Why they should fight: Watch the video above to see why Cerrone should fight Thompson (15-4-1 MMA, 10-4-1 UFC) next.
Relive Anthony Pettis’ highlight-reel knockout of Stephen Thompson at UFC Nashville.
[autotag]Anthony Pettis[/autotag] faced a stiff test in his UFC welterweight debut.
Pettis, the former UFC lightweight champion, took on two-time UFC welterweight title challenger [autotag]Stephen Thompson[/autotag] in the main event of UFC on ESPN+ 6 in Nashville, and came in as a sizable betting underdog.
In a matchup of karate vs. taekwondo, the two exchanged kicks early. Pettis stalked Thompson down and threw body kicks and leg kicks on Thompson’s heavy front leg early, while Thompson exploded with flurries, managing to bloody Pettis’ nose early.
In Round 2, Thompson continued to mix it up with the kicks, peppering Pettis with the jab. Pettis continued to punish that lead leg on the counter but was starting to take quite a bit of damage on his nose. Then, after the 10-second clap toward the end of the round, Pettis capitalized on an opening, where while backed up against the cage, he was able to deliver a picture-perfect Superman punch, knocking Thompson out cold.
[lawrence-related id=479472,479568,479078]
“Showtime” lived up to his moniker in typical highlight-reel fashion, handing “Wonderboy” his first knockout loss.
Pettis returns to lightweight this Saturday at UFC 246 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, when he opens up the main card in a bout against Carlos Diego Ferreira. While you wait for the days to wind down to UFC 246, you can whet your appetite by clicking on the video linked above.
There were some incredible knockouts in the UFC in 2019, including a few memorable ones by Jorge Masvidal, who had a monster year that concluded for him by winning the BMF belt in his fight against Nate Diaz at UFC 244 (though hopefully they run that one back).
We saw big knockouts in title fights, big-name fights, early prelim fights – just about everywhere.
Will there be anymore at UFC 245 this weekend, a monster event that has three title fights on its main card?
While we get ready for that huge night of fights, let’s look back at the 10 best KOs from the past year.
10. Makhmud Muradov vs. Trevor Smith, UFC Washington.
This one happened just a few days ago as Muradov kicked off UFC Washington by sending Smith’s mouthguard flying to the moon.
9. Johnny Walker vs. Misha Cirkunov, UFC 235.
Walker’s flying knee just 30 seconds into this fight was a thing of beauty. His celebration afterward wasn’t, however, as he dislocated his shoulder while doing the worm.
8. Josh Emmett vs. Michael Johnson, UFC Philadelphia.
Masvidal had an incredible 2019, which began with this brutal KO of Darren Till in enemy territory in London. Not sure that last punch while Till was out was super necessary, but the BMF does as he pleases. We’ll get to another one of his awesome KO’s in a few.
Pettis’ superman punch with five seconds left in the second round of his fight against Wonderboy Thompson was a beautiful piece of controlled violence.
This fight had so much hype behind it and then… it was over in five seconds thanks to a flying knee that will never be forgotten. Five seconds! It led to this great reaction from Paul Felder, Joe Rogan, and Jon Anik:
You legally have to watch this three times to watch how great Felder, Rogan, and Anik’s reactions are to the Jorge Masvidal KO pic.twitter.com/nEPjoU1UMZ
With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from November 2019.
With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from November 2019: Here are the four nominees, listed in chronological order, and winner of MMA Junkie’s “Fight of the Month” award for November.
At the bottom of the post, let us know if we got it right by voting on your choice.
* * * *
The Nominees
Stephen Thompson def. Vicente Luque at UFC 244
In case there were any doubters — and going in, there sure seemed to be — [autotag]Stephen Thompson[/autotag] (18-6-1 MMA, 11-2 UFC) proved he’s still very much a factor in the UFC welterweight division against [autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag] (17-6-1 MMA, 10-2 UFC).
The two time title challenger returned to vintage “Wonderboy” form as he picked apart one of the division’s hottest fighters in Luque over the course of three rounds. The judges’ scores at New York’s Madison Square Garden were 30-26, 30-26, and 29-27 as Thompson won by unanimous decision.
[autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] (35-13 MMA, 12-6 UFC) became the UFC’s “Baddest Mother(expletive)” after defeating [autotag]Nate Diaz[/autotag] (20-12 MMA, 15-10 UFC) in their highly anticipated welterweight matchup.
Masvidal continued the most stellar run of his career, and perhaps wrapped up his claim to “Fight of the Year,” when he picked Diaz apart to claim the “BMF” belt. Unfortunately the end came in an anticlimactic matter, with “Gamebred” winning by doctor stoppage TKO in the third round after multiple cuts on Diaz’s face.
John Salter def. Costello van Steenis at Bellator 233
Prior to his encounter with [autotag]Costello van Steenis[/autotag] (12-2 MMA, 4-1 BMMA) in their middleweight main event, [autotag]John Salter[/autotag] (17-4 MMA, 7-1 BMMA) never went the distance in 20 pro mixed martial arts fights, win or lose.
Finally, that changed. Salter dominated the first two rounds in his bout with van Steenis, which was enough to win out over a later rally as he earned a unanimous decision. The judges’ scores were 29-28 across the board, putting Salter back in contention in Bellator’s 185-pound division.
Zabit Magomedsharipov def. Calvin Kattar at UFC on ESPN+ 21
[autotag]Zabit Magomedsharipov[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) was made to work for it, but the Dagestani featherweight contender picked up arguably the most important win of his UFC career against [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag] (20-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC).
The matchup was rearranged from their original booking at UFC on ESPN 6 in October, with the matchup kept as a three-round affair despite headlining status. And after three entertaining rounds, it was Kattar who was in the ascendency, but Magomedsharipov who was ahead on the scorecards to take a unanimous decision.
On a night in which the president of the United States and Hollywood superstar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson were both in the house, New York State Athletic Commission Chief Medical Officer Nitin K. Sethi apparently decided he wanted to be the star of the show.
Masvidal and Diaz delivered as advertised through the first three rounds of their main event for the “BMF” title. Diaz, however, was cut above and below his right eye, and while Diaz has fought his way through plenty worse in his career, Sethi took a cursory glance at Diaz between rounds and decided to call off the fight, much to the chagrin of the capacity crowd at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
It went in the books as a TKO stoppage at 5:00 of the third round, but Masvidal, for his part, made it clear he was unsatisfied with the stoppage and was ready to run things back as soon as possible.
[lawrence-related id=459344,459430]
“For a fact, you gave me the love I’ll give you the love,” Masvidal told Diaz. “I don’t like to leave the ring like this with my opponent still conscious. We have to run it back.”
Masvidal was sharp from the fight’s outset, firing heavy hands with malicious intent. What turned out to be the bout’s most important sequence occurred early in the first round. Masvidal caught Diaz with a wicked elbow off the break, then landed a sneaky head kick which dropped Diaz to the mat. Somewhere in that flurry, Diaz was busted open around his right eye.
Masvidal was cautious about going to the mat with Diaz, which enabled Diaz to recover, but he continued to outwork Diaz in the standup throughout the first and into the second.
Diaz likes to stalk his foes, use pressure, and turn up the volume. But every time it appeared Diaz was going to turn up the heat, Masvidal managed to escape and reset.
[lawrence-related id=459532,459479]
Diaz is a cardio machine known for coming on in the late rounds. While Masvidal also won the third round, the round was also Diaz’s best, as he started to show signs he was getting it together, landing effective combos.
That built the anticipation for the championship rounds, but that’s when the doctor decided it was a good idea to step in and end the fight.
“The Rock” came in and placed the specially made “BMF” belt around Masvidal’s waist, and while Masvidal accepted it, he made it clear he wants a rematch. Diaz, for his part, let everyone know he’s down.
“I’m going back for this mother(expletive), right back,” Diaz said. “Let me heal this up and go again.”
The latest in notable MMA injuries, including updates on Stephen Thompson, Dustin Poirier, Henry Cejudo, and more.
It’s no secret that MMA is a grueling sport. Injuries occur everywhere from the training room to the cage, and sometimes even beyond that.
Injuries can cause the best set plans to fall by the wayside, derail careers or worse. Still, though, the overwhelming majority of fighters overcome their physical setbacks and eventually find their way back to competition.
Below MMA Junkie tracks the latest in notable MMA injuries, including updates on former interim UFC lightweight champ Dustin Poirier, multi-time UFC title challenger Stephen Thompson, dual UFC champ Henry Cejudo and more.
* * * *
Stephen Thompson
Former two-time UFC welterweight title challenger [autotag]Stephen Thompson[/autotag] (15-4-1 MMA, 10-4-1 UFC) confirmed to MMA Junkie that he will not require surgery on either hand after damaging them in his “Fight of the Night” victory over Vicente Luque at UFC 244, news that was first reported by MMA Fighting.
According to “Wonderboy,” he is still dealing with some pain and swelling in both hands, but a doctor confirmed no operation will be necessary. Thompson expects his hands to be healed within eight weeks, and at that point he can begin looking at his next fight.
Dustin Poirier
Dustin Poirier at UFC 242. (Per Haljestam, USA TODAY Sports)
Former UFC interim lightweight champion [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] (26-6 MMA, 17-5 UFC) is engaging in daily physical therapy sessions after undergoing hip surgery Oct. 24 to repair a lingering injury.
“The Diamond” told MMA Junkie his rehab is currently on track, and Poirier is targeting a return to the octagon in March against a high-profile opponent in the lightweight or welterweight division.
