Stephen Thompson was dead set against the idea of fighting undefeated smashing machine Shavkat Rakhmonov … right up until UFC doubled his salary.
Stephen Thompson will be earning two paydays at UFC 296.
Not only will the promotion pay him to compete against Shavkat Rakhmonov on Dec. 16 in Las Vegas, it will also cough up his missing “show” money from UFC 291, back when “Wonderboy” stood his ground and refused to fight Michel Pereira after “Demolidor” failed to make weight.
Just don’t call it a bribe.
“I do believe that they’re going to … I think the deal is, when I fight Shavkat, they’re going to add on what they owed me for the last fight,” Thompson told fellow UFC fighter Chris Weidman on SiriusXM’s “Won’t Back Down” (transcribed by MMA Junkie). “I don’t think they’re bribing me, but it was the fact that I wanted somebody — okay, so there was the thing about Usman after that fight.”
Thompson was briefly linked to a potential fight against former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman; however, it seems the promotion had other plans.
“Usman called me out, and I wanted that fight, but the UFC kept coming back and saying, ‘No, Usman’s not gonna fight you, he’s gonna fight somebody else.’ So there’s a lot going on,” Thompson continued. “Then Ian Garry fights and he calls me out, obviously. And then I get a call from the UFC saying, ‘Hey, fight Ian Garry at MSG.’ I’m like, ‘No, I’m done fighting these guys that are ranked below me. Give me somebody that’s ranked above me.’”
Surging welterweight prospect Ian Garry wanted to test his standup skills against Thompson but it appears “Wonderboy” was more interested in fighting an opponent ranked above him. As of this writing, the No. 6-ranked Rakhmonov is seated one spot above Thompson (No. 7) and five spots above Garry (No. 11).
“People are looking at this guy, undefeated, hundred percent finish rate. Nobody wants to fight this guy, so here I am,” Thompson said. “I’m like, you know, do I fight somebody ranked below me? Do I fight somebody ranked above me, probably one of the toughest guys in the division who nobody wants to fight? I’ll fight Shavkhat. Let’s do it. Let’s make it happen. I believe (if) I go out there and I beat this guy – he should be fighting for the title after this fight with Leon (Edwards) and Colby (Covington). I think Shavkhat’s got it (if he wins at UFC 296). So if I beat this guy, I’m looking at another title shot again.”
For the rest of the UFC 296 fight card and PPV lineup, which includes the welterweight title fight between Leon Edwards (c) and Colby Covington, click here.