Former Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh “The Punk” Thomson (18-4, 1NC) is looking to climb back to the top to regain his title once more.
Despite a loss in his last fight, a last minute fight with Tatsuya Kawajiri at the Dynamite!! 2010 event last New Years Eve, Thomson still feels he’s one of the top 155 lb fighters in the world.
Now that Zuffa has purchased Strikeforce, “The Punk” says he’s ready to face the best from the UFC or Strikeforce.
“I really don’t care who they match me up against. Even if they want to bring someone over from the UFC, I’d definitely love to fight them. It doesn’t matter. I’m at the stage of my career where I feel like I’ve already won my world title. I’m going to make a run at it and make sure I try to get my belt back, but the biggest thing is that I’m not going to sit here and say who I want to fight next because ultimately it’s not my decision. So I don’t really care. I just want to fight the best guys …
“With the merger of STRIKEFORCE and the UFC, we’re going to have the option of saying, ‘Hey, I’d like to fight that guy. I think it’d be an exciting fight.’ They put their matches together based on what they think is best, and as a fighter, you just go out there and fight. But, yeah, of course, I’d love to see those fights. Gil [Melendez] and I have put up with that conversation for awhile. ‘How do you feel you match up against Frankie [Edgar],’ etc. I always felt like Gilbert and I matched up well against any of those guys. But I think it’s going to be great. I definitely want to fight the best guys, and if the UFC feels they have them, I wouldn’t mind that. Whoever the best guys are, that’s who I want to fight. Everyone talks about being the best, and I guess I need to go out there and prove I’m the best guy.”