Stephen Thompson: Give Wonderboy His Title Shot

At UFC Fight Night 89, Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson won a unanimous decision against former title contender Rory MacDonald in Ottawa. With his latest win, Wonderboy goes to seven straight wins inside the Octagon, and also 8-1 in the UFC overall. Hopefully, Thompson has finally secured his title shot, and he is the man who should be getting the next shot for the welterweight title.

In the last several years, Stephen Thompson has emerged as welterweights most exciting and promising new contenders. About four years ago, I was there live for Thompson’s UFC debut at UFC 143. He fought Dan Stittgen, and he finished him in the first round. What I remember wowing me live cageside on that night four years ago was seeing Thompson’s dynamic kicks and using an interesting karate stance. It’s not often you see a fighter use that style in the Octagon. Since that fight, Thompson has continued to find great success in the Octagon, and he’s been able to maintain that unique striking and karate style. It’s almost like he’s perfect adapted his style of fighting to fighting in the Octagon. Thompson’s rise through the welterweight ranks has been especially fun to watch because he is such a unique striking specialist, and he’s proven himself against top wrestlers and competition. Usually the rub against strikers in MMA is that they are prone and vulnerable to takedowns and wrestlers. Yet before his fight with MacDonald, Thompson faced Johny Hendricks, an NCAA Division 1 wrestling champion as well as a former UFC champion. Hendricks in the past has used his wrestling effectively against strikers like Carlos Condit. However, Hendricks wasn’t able to really get close to Thompson and initiate a wrestling game. When you are trying to become a contender in the UFC, it’s crucial to be able to prove you can hang with wrestlers and grinders, and Thompson has done just that.

Thompson has been thrown into the deeper waters of welterweight, which is more stacked than ever, and he’s passed with flying colors. He showed another aspect of his game with his grappling and submission defense against Rory MacDonald, as MacDonald on multiple occasions attempted a heel hook, but Thompson had it well scouted and was able to constantly slip away.

Frankly, Thompson should’ve already been granted his title shot after beating a former champion such as Johny Hendricks. However, technically Tyron Woodley was “owed” a title shot since he didn’t get his fight with Johny Hendricks. It was a fight where Hendricks was forced to withdraw because he couldn’t make weight, and he got sick during his debilitating weight cut. Woodley’s last actual fight was in January 2015, when he beat Kelvin Gastelum by split decision. Woodley is a solid fighter, but he’s not put together seven-straight wins, and he hasn’t beat Thompson’s level of competition. Woodley was also not able to beat Rory MacDonald either. Woodley throughout his career has generally tried to pick and choose his fights toward a title shot. I do not fault him for that. Woodley is smart and strategic. He’s trying to get the most out of his fight career. He’s a good man, and a family man. However, Thompson has not been given similar luxuries. Thompson was really in the better position to get the title shot after the Hendricks win, but because of the Hendricks situation, Woodley got the nod instead. Not to mention, Woodley’s inconsistency with his Octagon performances. Sometimes he can pull the trigger, and other times, he looks flat and gun shy, bringing his UFC record to 5-2. Now, you can arguably credit the UFC and Dana White for upholding their promised title shot to Woodley after the planned UFC 192 co-main event fell through. I’ve lost count of situations where UFC and Dana White would promise a title shot to a winner for a fight, only for those plans to suddenly fall through or just fall apart. Miesha Tate had to deal with that last year, when she was promised a title shot if she could beat Jessica Eye, and UFC even doubled down on the promise after that. Then, it was promptly decided that Ronda Rousey would face Holly Holm instead. Granted, Tate ultimately got the last laugh there.

There’s only one monkey wrench and chaos card that could threaten Thompson’s title hopes at this point. That intangible variable is none other than Georges St-Pierre. The MMA Hour interviewed Georges St-Pierre this week, and the former UFC welterweight champion announced that he’s ending an almost three-year absence from MMA and would return to the Octagon, if his management and UFC come to terms. If GSP actually does make his comeback, it’s unknown what path he will take. Will GSP pursue the title he never actually lost? Will he only be looking at “moneyweight” fights with the likes of Nick Diaz or even Anderson Silva? If GSP decides he wants to go for the title, the UFC would assuredly grant him that title shot, three-year hiatus or no. To be perfectly honest, and this might sound crazy, if I had my pick between Stephen Thompson and GSP getting a title shot right now, I would immediately pick Thompson. GSP is one of the greatest fighters of all time, but he’s still been away for the sport for quite some time. He was burnt out and walked away. Not only that, he had another ACL injury during his absence. This analogy might drive people crazy, but to me, GSP coming back and taking a title shot away from a more deserving contender is like when a part-timer such as Brock Lesnar or The Rock get to come into WWE and get all the prime air time or automatic title shots or WrestleMania main events. Thompson could potentially be one of the next great all-time fighters in MMA, and he deserves that chance.

So hopefully, things will work out and Thompson gets the title shot against the winner of Robbie Lawler vs. Tyron Woodley at UFC 201.

Jeffrey Harris is 411mania’s resident Jack of All Trades and has covered MMA for the site since 2008. You can shoot him an e-mail at [email protected] or hit him up on Facebook. You can also check out the latest edition of the podcast he co-hosts alongside Robert Winfree, The 411 Ground & Pound Radio Show, below.