UFC Takeaway: Should 'Wonderboy' Stephen Thompson enter the championship race straight away?
After a dominating performance in the main event of UFC Fight night over Kevin Holland, Stephen Thompson proved his championship aspirations.
By ET Spotlight Special |
Agencies
It has been a long since “Wonderboy” isn’t much of a boy anymore. But this version of the nearly 40-year-old flashy striker Stephen Thompson has quite a lot of value to the UFC.
In the main event of UFC Orlando that happened on Saturday night, Tompson defeated Kevin Holland through the TKO in the fourth round in one of the best fights of this year. Both men were seen to get hurt and battle back in this roller-coaster, rollicking affair. However, the crafty Thompson became too much for Holland early in the game, with the latter injuring his hand. Before the fifth and final frame, Bob Perez waved things off, who is the coach of Holland.
From crescent kicks to hook kicks to liver kicks, Various techniques with legs were thrown by Thompson in the game. Even at one point, Thompson might have used “Sweet Chin Music”, a signature move of Shawn Michael, to hit Holland. However, despite the hand issue faced by Holland, he kept things entertained throughout and in the first round, he cracked Thompson with a piston-like right cross.
So, there’s no reason why Wonderboy shouldn’t be in this kind of main event of UFC Fight Night or on the pay-per-view main cards occasionally in a year if he continues to put on performances like this. After all, Thompson still feels like a 25-year-old, he himself said.
The matchmaking was a masterstroke from Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby, as the trick is finding the right opponents.
In the main event of UFC Orlando that happened on Saturday night, Tompson defeated Kevin Holland through the TKO in the fourth round in one of the best fights of this year. Both men were seen to get hurt and battle back in this roller-coaster, rollicking affair. However, the crafty Thompson became too much for Holland early in the game, with the latter injuring his hand. Before the fifth and final frame, Bob Perez waved things off, who is the coach of Holland.
From crescent kicks to hook kicks to liver kicks, Various techniques with legs were thrown by Thompson in the game. Even at one point, Thompson might have used “Sweet Chin Music”, a signature move of Shawn Michael, to hit Holland. However, despite the hand issue faced by Holland, he kept things entertained throughout and in the first round, he cracked Thompson with a piston-like right cross.
Tiger Muay Thai gym on the southern resort island of Phuket was, before the coronavirus pandemic, attracting fighters from all over the globe lured by world-class training, an idyllic tropical beach lifestyle and a growing reputation.
(In pic: UFC flyweight fighters Antonina Shevchenko (L) and Valentina Shevchenko going through their paces at the Tiger Muay Thai gym in Phuket.)
So, there’s no reason why Wonderboy shouldn’t be in this kind of main event of UFC Fight Night or on the pay-per-view main cards occasionally in a year if he continues to put on performances like this. After all, Thompson still feels like a 25-year-old, he himself said.
The matchmaking was a masterstroke from Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby, as the trick is finding the right opponents.
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