Former two-time welterweight title challenger, Stephen Thompson has vowed to come back to the Octagon “stronger” than ever amid his one-sided second round rear-naked choke submission loss to the unbeaten, Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 296 last weekend.
Simpsonville striker, Thompson made his return to the Octagon for the first time in over a year at UFC 296 last weekend, suffering a late second round rear-naked choke submission defeat to the undefeated Uzbekistan finishing ace, Rakhmonov.
Prior to that, the former two-time undisputed welterweight title challenger had landed a fourth round corner’s stoppage TKO win over Kevin Holland in the main event of UFC Fight Night Orlando back in December of last year.
Stephen Thompson addresses UFC 296 loss
And sharing his thoughts on his submission loss to improving contender, Rakhmonov, veteran striking technician, Thompson vowed to make a return to the Octagon in better form than ever, fearing he may have fractured his foot to boot.
“I appreciate all of your support after the fight this past Saturday,” Stephen Thompson said on his official YouTube channel. “It obviously didn’t go the way I wanted it to go, and that’s why you should always follow the plan, guys. I didn’t follow the plan. That’s my fault.”
“Anyway, I love you guys, and I’ll be back stonger and better than ever,” Stephen Thompson explained. “I have some things to work on and get this foot heald up, and we’ll get after it again. That’s what happens when you don’t follow the game plan. You get submitted in the second round. I actually came out of the fight pretty much unscathed, other than the fact that I think I broke my foot in a body kick right to the elbow. Don’t kick your opponent to the elbow because that sucks.”
What’s next for Stephen Thompson after UFC 296?