LAS VEGAS — The Stephen Thompson hype train slowed quite a bit last year after his one-sided loss to Matt Brown.
But the “Wonderboy” train might be getting ready to board at the station again.
Thompson picked apart Robert Whittaker on Saturday night at UFC 170, scoring the TKO at 3:43 of the first round. That marked the welterweight’s third straight win since the Brown loss.
In his postfight interview, Thompson, the converted kickboxing showed a humble attitude toward his progress as an MMA fighter.
“The more I do this, the more I get comfortable with it,” said Thompson (9-1). “I’m a striker. I wouldn’t say I’m the best MMA fighter but I’m working on it every day and I’m getting better and better.”
Thompson didn’t take too long to figure out Whittaker’s range, as he effortlessly dodged Whittaker’s punches. Whittaker, who appeared to be overly wary of Thompson’s head kicks, left himself wide-open for a huge right to the jaw which was the beginning of the end. Referee Mario Yamakasi called it off soon thereafter.
“I didn’t want to rush in there and get knocked out, I’ve seen that happened before,” Thompson said. “I did what I had to do.”
Whittaker, the welterweight winner of the first season of TUF: Smashes, fell to 11-4.