Stephen Thompson hopes his already illustrious MMA career can be record-breaking by the time he retires.
The experienced UFC welterweight said recently that he wants to compete for many years to come, hoping to eventually become the oldest fighter in the promotion’s history.
Thompson still has a long way to go before he can call himself the oldest to grace the UFC octagon. For example, former UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture was 47 years old when he fought in his final MMA bout, losing to Lyoto Machida in 2011.
Nonetheless, the way Thompson feels now indicates that he has a lot left in the tank. He revealed his optimistic career aspirations in a recent interview on The MMA Hour.
“I want to break records, man. I wanna be the oldest guy who ever fought in the UFC. They are going to have to bring out a senior division or something,” he said, joking in his interview. “It’s the plan. I will do this as long as my body will let me or when my dad says I’m done.” (H/T Sportskeeda)
The fighting style of Thompson could potentially be a contributing factor for his longevity in the sport. The karate-base fighter has only been finished in one of his fights and has taken little damage in many of his other showings.
Thompson Isn’t Going Anywhere Soon
Also in the interview, Thompson gave credit to his team for how he is currently progressing as a fighter.
“I have always loved fighting, but I never thought that I would be where I am today and still feeling the way I do. And obviously, that has a lot to do with the coaches and the way I’m training so hats off to those guys.”
It’s uncertain whether Thompson can become the oldest fighter in UFC’s history. However, it’s safe to say the welterweight likely won’t be departing the sport soon. Thompson’s management announced earlier this week that he reached a new deal that will keep him on the UFC roster.
Thompson said on The MMA Hour that his new contract is a six-fight deal.
Thompson will return to the Octagon this Saturday when he faces rising contender Belal Muhammad. The co-main event fight is part of UFC’s final event of the year.
Do you think Stephen Thompson can become one of the oldest fighters in UFC history?
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