Athletes
Stephen Thompson | The Battle Within
"Wonderboy" Continues To Push Himself To Be The Fighter He Can Be. His Journey Continues Against Joaquin Buckley At UFC 307 In Salt Lake City
For Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, it’s not just about winning. It’s about personal growth.
Thompson returns to the Octagon at UFC 307 this Saturday for his 26th professional fight and remains a mainstay in the welterweight division, having competed at the top for over a decade. His goal remains to be a champion, but, that’s not really what motivates him.
Order UFC 307: Pereira vs Rountree Jr.
“A lot of the people at the top of the game, their goal is just the title,” Thompson said. “That’s everybody’s goal to get the title, but I think what keeps me motivated is how good can I get myself. That’s the question that I ask myself every morning when I wake up. Like how much better can I get? So, I think with that mindset to just continue trying to evolve as a better fighter, that forces me to go to the gym and train every day.”
As a lifelong martial artist, Thompson has had that mindset since he was three years old. And when reflecting on his recent performances, “Wonderboy” remains optimistic, despite certain results.
Full Fight | Stephen Thompson vs Kevin Holland
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Full Fight | Stephen Thompson vs Kevin Holland
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“For example, my last fight against Shavkat Rakhmonov,” Thompson said. “Even though I lost it, I was still happy with that performance because there was a lot of things that went right in that fight, until it just didn’t. So there was a lot of things that I was working on, that did work against one of the best guys in the welterweight division.”
Ahead of Thompson is Joaquin Buckley in an epic clash of different styles between ranked welterweights, a matchup that Buckley had been pursuing.
How To Watch And Stream UFC 307 In Your Country
“I think this is an exciting fight,” Thompson said. “Something that Joaquin actually was begging me for at International Fight Week So I was like, all right man, my people will get in touch with your people, and we’ll make this fight happen, but he’s the type of guy that will go out there and put on a show.”
With a win, Thompson keeps himself among the Top 10 at 170 pounds and it would likely set him up for a chance at fighting above his ranking next time out. Being 41, there isn’t much time left, but having fought the current champion in Belal Muhammad and No. 3 contender Rakhmonov recently, “Wonderboy” is still right there.
Thompson’s weight is on point, fight camp went well, and he trained in Park City, Utah to get acclimated to the high altitude. As he has matured in the sport, Thompson has approached recovery and training with an emphasis on preserving his body.
“I do take more time in my recovery now than before. Before, I could go hardcore training sessions back-to-back-to-back, but not anymore. So now, I’m spending more time with my physical therapy, getting massages, ice baths, just taking care of the body and listening to my body a little bit better so that way I can do this a little while longer.”
Buckley brings an aggressive and explosive approach to the Octagon, and when you pair that with an entertaining karate-style striker in Thompson, high paced action is almost certain to follow.
“He’s going to try to put me to sleep and I’m going to try to do the same to him. He’s not the type of guy who is just going to lay on you and make it a boring fight; it’s going to be exciting, no matter what. If he wins, if I win, if he knocks me out, if I knock him out, he’s coming forward and I think that’s what the fans want.”
While Thompson embraces wars and has had plenty of them, he hinted at a possible new goal in this matchup.
“Just like the Kevin Holland fight, I’m looking for a three five-minute round war and I want a submission win. You know I’ve got one in my entire MMA career, but not yet in the UFC. So, you might see a submissions out there.”
UFC 307: Pereira vs Rountree Jr., took place live from Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah on October 5, 2024. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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