Stephen Thompson nonetheless has a lot left within the tank. This previous Saturday at UFC Nashville, “Wonderboy” made his twenty second octagon look, competing reverse Gabriel Bonfim within the co-main occasion. Sadly for the 42-year-old, he got here up quick through a controversial split-decision that the group largely believed he ought to have received.
The bout was the second-to-last on Thompson’s present UFC contract, and he hopes to proceed his profession after his subsequent struggle, barring one other stable efficiency. Thompson shared on Tuesday’s version of “The Ariel Helwani Present” that he ideally desires to interrupt the document for being the oldest fighter to ever compete within the UFC.
“Relies on how I really feel [after the next fight] and the way the struggle goes,” Thompson stated of his combating future. “My objective, clearly, was to beat Randy Couture’s document. I believe he was like 45, perhaps. He might need been 46. I really feel superb, man. I felt nice after the struggle, in addition to my foot. I felt nice throughout the struggle. I felt quicker than he was. Gabriel Bonfim is just 27. I felt phenomenal.
“Randy was 47? All proper, let’s go. That may be superb. A hundred percent. … It clearly has to do rather a lot with what occurs in my subsequent struggle. I really feel like if I’m going on the market and I placed on a present, and I get a great end, why not? Let’s preserve going. If not, that is one thing that I need to plan with my household, my crew, clearly, plan with the UFC. However let’s exit with a bang, man.”
After a shaky first spherical towards Bonfim, Thompson rallied within the last two, struggling a nasty lower on his shin with the quite a few kicks he fired off. The 2-time welterweight title challenger has since had the wound stitched up, making it the lesser of his damage woes.
Thompson revealed that he additionally broke his foot within the struggle. His timetable for returning and finishing the final contracted struggle is unknown at this early stage, however Thompson feels he has optimistic momentum, no matter his official ninth profession loss.
“I felt that I did sufficient to win the struggle,” Thompson stated. “Clear strikes, I felt nice throughout my transferring, and I believe I felt I had extra injury the injury was in my favor. Bonfim, robust fighter, hats off to the man, however when the gang, the analysts, and the crew are all this shocked concerning the resolution, one thing’s not proper. I’ve been on this sport for a very long time, and I do know what it feels prefer to win a struggle. I do know what it’s prefer to lose a struggle. I really feel like I didn’t lose that struggle.
“I misplaced the struggle, however I felt like I received it. While you received your loved ones, your crew, your family and friends again residence. All people who noticed the struggle thought I received the struggle.”
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