There are solely a handful of fighters who’ve competed at a excessive degree within the UFC as soon as they handed the 40-year mark, however Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson is aware of he’s greater than only a quantity.
A perennial top-10 contender within the welterweight division, Thompson returns at UFC 307 for a battle in opposition to Joaquin Buckley. Having celebrated his forty first birthday earlier this 12 months, he inevitably will get quizzed about how for much longer he plans on preventing. Although that could be a pure curiosity given his age, Thompson guarantees he’s not going wherever after Oct. 5 however again to his gymnasium to start coaching for his subsequent UFC look.
“Persons are trying down on me as a result of I’m 41,” Thompson instructed MMA Combating. “I really feel simply pretty much as good at 41 as I did after I was 25. I don’t have the loopy accidents. I’m good with my coaching. I’m simply as quick. Simply as artful. I’m bettering in each side of the sport.”
Maybe the higher query for Thompson isn’t relating to how for much longer he has left to battle, however slightly what sorts of objectives does he need to pursue sooner or later?
Thompson twice fought for a UFC title and he’s by no means shied away from going for gold once more, however his drive as of late isn’t essentially predicated on whether or not or not he turns into champion.
It would sound hokey, however he really prefers to take a giant image method to his profession as of late slightly than any single objective taking priority.
“The title is all the time there however I feel at this age and the extra that I’ve educated and seen champions and their mindsets, the objective is to all the time higher myself in coaching,” Thompson stated. “My take a look at to that’s to battle within the UFC, is to battle these studs, the very best of the very best on the planet and that’s the place I get my glory from.
“I practice, I’m a lifelong martial artist, I’m always attempting to get higher and my take a look at is to battle the very best on the planet.”
Usually talking when fighters begin to get a bit older, UFC CEO Dana White usually mentions some variation of the phrase that “Father Time is undefeated” and that age finally catches as much as everybody.
That most likely strikes concern within the hearts of many athletes, however don’t depend Thompson amongst them.
“I like being 41 and being within the UFC,” Thompson stated with a smile. “It’s cool to have guys which can be on the identical card as you asking on your autograph. There was a degree the place I used to be within the UFC and no person was wanting my autograph, not even fighters, not even followers.
“Now it’s to the purpose the place fighters, guys which can be within the UFC making a reputation for themselves, are asking for my autograph. Are you kidding me? I feel it’s the good factor on the planet. So that they take a look at me as a veteran however not simply that however as probably the greatest.”’
Previous to his battle being booked at UFC 307, Thompson was really gifted a slightly hilarious nickname that sounds prefer it’s associated to his age after he bumped into Buckley and a former opponent at UFC 303 in June.
“Throughout Worldwide Combat Week, [Joaquin Buckley] was begging for [the fight],” Thompson defined. “He was like ‘Wonderboy’ let’s make this factor occur.’ It was humorous as a result of Kevin Holland was there, too, and Kevin Holland was calling Joaquin Buckley his son. [He was saying] ‘Nah, son’ after which he comes as much as me and stated, ‘Yo, granddad.’ I’m like, granddad?
“He’s like, ‘You beat me and I beat him so you possibly can’t be preventing grandson.’ I’m like, ‘Oh my God,’ that they had me cracking up.”
At present driving a four-fight win streak since shifting to welterweight, Buckley has been champing on the bit to get a higher-ranked opponent and Thompson grew to become his goal. Whereas he’s by no means backed down from a problem, Thompson has seen loads of fighters in his place go on these sorts of call-outs as a result of they’re not desirous about opponents under them within the high 15.
Thompson by no means understood that mentality, particularly after he needed to journey down the identical highway when he first arrived within the UFC and wanted ranked opposition to present him the possibility to show himself. Now he’s simply doing the identical factor for Buckley.
“With any individual like him, I’ve by no means strayed away from anyone difficult me,” Thompson stated. “I all the time love giving these guys that aren’t ranked within the high 10 a shot at developing. Similar to the Jake Ellenbergers did for me, the Rory MacDonalds, the Johny Hendricks’ did for me. I wasn’t even ranked within the high 10 after I bought provided these guys and so they took it.
“You’ve bought so many guys now within the welterweight division who’re attempting to carry on to their spot and never let any of those different guys get an opportunity. I used to be given an opportunity. It’s my flip to return and provides these guys an opportunity to come back up and attempt to get that title, make them earn it.”
