Former UFC Welterweight title challenger Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson has shared that he would be willing to move up in weight to face UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya.
Thompson shared his desire to face another high-level striker in Adesanya while speaking to Severe MMA.
I asked Wonderboy about going up to middleweight. He's not *totally* against it, but says it would be tough. Seems open to an Adesanya fight.
pic.twitter.com/zZgQk1nOyY
— Seán Sheehan (@SeanSheehanBA) June 11, 2020
“You know, I always told myself if I ever got the title and Robert Whittaker was still the champion at that weight you know, since I faced him before that I would be cool to go up and fight him again,”.
“But to be honest with you, I’m not a big welterweight. I walk around at 190, 195. You know, when I spar and train with guys like Chris Weidman whose a 185er, just to feel the power and strength of these guys is ridiculous. When he grabs me by my wrist I feel like a five-year-old, I can’t get away. So to face guys like him in that division, because I’m not a big guy, I would literally have to put on some muscle and weight to move up to that middleweight class,”.
“As of right now (no), but in the future, I don’t know. I mean if Adesanya is still the champion if I get that title, that could be a possibility, just to mix things up.”
Both athletes come from a kickboxing background with Wonderboy boasting an undefeated record of 57-0 in the ring. When Adesanya made the transition to MMA he held a Kickboxing record of 75-5.
Thompson remains the #6 ranking welterweight in the UFC and it would seem he is first setting his sights on the title before he considers the move up in weight. With welterweight being as stacked a division as it is right now, it is unclear when Wonderboy will be able to find his third shot at the title.
Would you like to see Wonderboy face Adesanya?