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Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson On Shavkat Rakhmonov Lie That Got Under His Skin

Stephen Thompson recently disclosed the one fib from Shavkat Rakhmonov that truly irked him after their matchup. “Wonderboy” is gearing up to square off against Joaquin Buckley in a welterweight clash on the preliminary card of UFC 307, scheduled for October 5 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Thompson is set to […]

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Stephen Thompson recently disclosed the one fib from Shavkat Rakhmonov that truly irked him after their matchup.

“Wonderboy” is gearing up to square off against Joaquin Buckley in a welterweight clash on the preliminary card of UFC 307, scheduled for October 5 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Thompson is set to make his comeback to the Octagon after a 10-month hiatus, having not competed since his second-round submission defeat to the unbeaten Rakhmonov at UFC 296 in December 2023.

In the lead-up to their clash, both fighters had agreed to engage exclusively in striking. However, Rakhmonov chose to grapple and ultimately secured a swift victory.

While Thompson respects the 29-year-old Kazakh fighter’s skills, he feels disheartened by his opponent’s attempt to rationalize his change in approach, claiming he suffered a serious ankle injury before their bout despite having promised to prove he was the superior striker.

Thompson Critiques Rakhmonov & Team For Justifying Change In Strategy After Their Bout

During a recent interview with MMAFightingonSBN, Thompson reflected on his defeat to Rakhmonov, voicing his dissatisfaction with “Nomad’s” coach, Henri Hooft, for attempting to explain the decision to pursue takedowns during the fight.

“Wonderboy” noted that he recalls Hooft making similar remarks following his bout against Gilbert Burns at UFC 264.

“It was funny because afterward the same coach as Gilbert Burns, and after the Gilbert Burns fight, the coach came up and was like, ‘I’m sorry the fight was boring, but that’s the only way to beat you,’” Thompson said. “He said the same thing after the Shavkat fight.”

Thompson acknowledged that grappling is an integral aspect of the sport and emphasized that he should have been better prepared for it. However, he expressed disappointment that Rakhmonov didn’t honor his commitment to keep their bout strictly to striking.

“So I knew that’s what they were planning on. He was not planning to strike with me. He wanted to hem me up, get me to the floor, and submit me, which he did very well. That’s part of the game. I’ve got to be ready for that. But especially after the fight, they’re saying that. You can say that during the fight to get me thinking one thing, but after the fight, you’re saying, ‘I was going to strike with the guy, but I hurt my ankle.’ Nah, dude. It got me a little bit. Very few things frustrate me — that got me a little bit. Just admit it.”

“Wonderboy” once enjoyed an impressive seven-fight win streak. However, since his title rematch loss to Tyron Woodley at UFC 209 in March 2017, the 41-year-old South Carolina native has struggled to reclaim his former glory. In his last 10 bouts, he has tallied a disappointing record of 4-6.

Read More: Stephen Thompson Reacts To Being On UFC 307 Prelims After Fighting On Main Cards For A Decade Straight

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Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson Provides His Prediction For Alex Pereira vs Khalil Rountree At UFC 307

Stephen Thompson recently shared his forecast for the UFC 307 main event clash between Alex Pereira and Khalil Rountree. “Poatan” is set to defend his UFC light heavyweight title for the third time, this time against Khalil Rountree in the headlining bout of the upcoming pay-per-view on October 5, taking place at the Delta Center […]

Continue Reading Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson Provides His Prediction For Alex Pereira vs Khalil Rountree At UFC 307 at MMA News.

Stephen Thompson recently shared his forecast for the UFC 307 main event clash between Alex Pereira and Khalil Rountree.

“Poatan” is set to defend his UFC light heavyweight title for the third time, this time against Khalil Rountree in the headlining bout of the upcoming pay-per-view on October 5, taking place at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Pereira enters this fight riding high off back-to-back successful title defenses against former champions earlier this year. His most recent victory came in June at UFC 303, where he delivered a stunning second-round knockout of Jiri Prochazka in their short-notice rematch.

Since joining the UFC in November 2021, the Brazilian’s trajectory has been steadily skyward. After conquering the middleweight division, he made the leap to light heavyweight, and with just one victory at 205 pounds to earn a title shot, he seized gold with a TKO win over Prochazka at UFC 295 last November.

Meanwhile, “The War Horse” is making his return after serving a 4.5-month suspension for testing positive for a steroid hormone, with the sanction lifted on September 18. He is currently riding a five-fight win streak, with his latest victory being a third-round knockout of Anthony Smith last December.

Despite being a UFC veteran since 2016, Rountree has often been viewed as someone who hasn’t quite realized his full potential. However, UFC 307 will finally give him his long-awaited first shot at the gold.

Thompson Believes Pereira vs. Rountree Will Come Down To Who Outstrikes The Other

During a recent interview with Bodgog Canada, Thompson shared his thoughts on the upcoming Pereira vs. Rountree title fight at UFC 307. While “Wonderboy” clearly favored the the reigning champion, he didn’t shy away from commending Rountree’s top-tier striking ability. He predicted that with both being more comfortable on the feet, the fight will likely be stand-up heavy and determine who the better striker is.

“I’m leaning towards Pereira as well, but I think it’s a great fight because both guys are very dangerous fighters,” Thompson said. “Khalil Rountree has got some of the best striking as well; it comes from that Muay Thai background, so basically this is going to be a Muay Thai fight. This is going to be a standup battle, toe-to-toe, to see who’s going to be the better striker.”

The former UFC welterweight title challenger further explained his clear inclination toward “Poatan,” citing Pereira’s impressive track record. Thompson highlighted Pereira’s devastating one-punch knockout power, coupled with his significant reach advantage, as key factors that make him a formidable force against Rountree.

“Obviously, I’ve got to lean towards my man Alex Pereira just because of his credentials and what he’s done in the 185 and 205 [pound] divisions in the UFC. I mean, he’s got a left hook with one-hitter-quitter power. Now, Rountree is big and strong, but can he close the gap? Alex Pereira’s got the longer reach, he’s very calm, and he’s very precise—he’s like a sniper out there when it comes to his strikes. It’s a very hard fight, but I think it’s going to be exciting.”

“Wonderboy” is also set to compete at UFC 307 in a welterweight bout against Joaquin Buckley, marking his return to the Octagon after a 10-month break.

Read More: Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson On Shavkat Rakhmonov Lie That Got Under His Skin

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UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. Holland – Bets Bets

The UFC are back on the road this weekend, as they make the trip to Orlando with one of the most stacked Fight Night cards of the year. A welterweight clash between Stephen Thompson and Kevin Holland takes centerstage, although Tai Tuivasa vs. Sergei Pavlovich and RDA vs. Bryan Barberena are also fights that draw […]

The UFC are back on the road this weekend, as they make the trip to Orlando with one of the most stacked Fight Night cards of the year.

A welterweight clash between Stephen Thompson and Kevin Holland takes centerstage, although Tai Tuivasa vs. Sergei Pavlovich and RDA vs. Bryan Barberena are also fights that draw the eye.

Join us at LowKickMMA as we give our top 3 bets for UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. Holland!

Thompson vs. Holland O2.5

Our first bet will be to take the over 2 and a half rounds in the main event between Stephen Thompson and Kevin Holland.

This fight will likely be a stand-up match, which may lead one to think that the likelihood of a KO finish is high. However, Stephen Thompson is an elite elusive striker, able to get in and out of range with the skills accumulated from a lifetime of training in karate.

Kevin Holland does have KO power, but Thompson’s distance management should be enough to avoid ‘Trailblazer’s’ shots, early on at least. Holland is also very durable and will be able to take everything ‘Wonderboy’ throws at him.

Betway has the Over 2.5 priced at 1.72. If you wish to get even better odds, parlaying it with Tuivasa vs. Pavlovich to go under 2.5 rounds may be a good idea.

Emily Ducote by Dec

Next, we are taking Emily Ducote to win via decision vs. Angela Hill.

Emily Ducote made her UFC debut earlier this year at UFC on ABC 3: Ortega vs. Rodriguez, where she dominated Jessica Penne over three rounds, utilizing a heavy leg kick game plan. This fight with Angela Hill will be tougher, but Ducote still has all the skills necessary to pick up a win.

Hill is now 37 years old and is 1-3 in her last 4 fights – with each one going to decision. Ducote is the rising prospect in this matchup and has the edge in both power and physicality. She should be able to pick up at least two rounds and claim a solid decision win.

Betway has Emily Ducote to win via decision priced at 2.30.

Marc Diakiese & Jonathan Pearce Parlay

Our final bet is a parlay of Marc Diakiese & Jonathan Pearce’s ML bets – the two locks of the night from the LowKickMMA UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. Holland Preview & Betting Guide.

Marc Diakiese takes on Michael Johnson, in a fight where he has all the tools to win. Johnson is a skilled veteran but is massively lacking when it comes to his ground game. Whilst Diakiese was once known as one of the most dynamic strikers in the division, as of late, he has switched his focus to that of a wrestling game. Look for ‘Bonecrusher’ to dominate Johnson for the entirety of the fight – just as he did to Damir Hadžovi? and Viacheslav Borshchev.

Jonathan Pearce takes on Darren Elkins. Pearce has all the skills to run through the 38-year-old Elkins, who is now 3-5 in his last 8. Pearce is extremely dangerous when in top control, having finished the likes of Makwan Amirkhani, Omar Morales and Kai Kamaka III – look for him to get a late TKO finish over ‘The Damage.’

A Pearce and Diakiese ML parlay bet is priced at 1.53 on Betway.

Are you backing our bets for this UFC Fight Night event!?

Wonderboy Receives A Callout From A Non-Grappling Opponent

Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson has received a callout from UFC welterweight Bryan Barberena, who promises an all-striking affair. ‘”Wonderboy” is widely revered for his karate-styled offense, although he has had much less success when facing wrestle-heavy fighters such as Belal Muhammed and Gilbert Burns. In his latest potential foe Bryan Barbarena, he has a more than…

Continue Reading Wonderboy Receives A Callout From A Non-Grappling Opponent at MMA News.

Giga Chikadze Open To Fighting Wonderboy At Welterweight

UFC featherweight Giga Chikadze has said that he is open to fighting Stephen Thompson at 170 pounds in the future. Chikadze has been a leading name in the UFC’s recent Georgian invasion, with the likes of Merab Dvalishvili, Roman Dolidze and Ilia…

Continue Reading Giga Chikadze Open To Fighting Wonderboy At Welterweight at MMA News.

VIDEO | Stephen Thompson Gets Beat Up By a Bunch of Kids

UFC welterweight Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson is highly regarded as one of the most feared strikers in MMA today, despite the oft-friendly persona he displays to the public and to his opponents in the UFC octagon. But a group of kids exposed Thompson as being rather ordinary on the mat. A video surfaced online showing Thompson […]

But a group of kids exposed Thompson as being rather ordinary on the mat.

A video surfaced online showing Thompson playfully getting ready to take on a group of young people, presumably at one of the many camps he holds annually in South Carolina. While Thompson put up a good fight, he was unable to secure the takedown defense (s) and fell hard to the ground.

Obviously, this was all just a parody and for fun; but it shows why many around the UFC community love and respects Thompson inside and outside of the octagon. While it’s unclear when and where the playful scuffle took place, it’s surely entertaining.

The 38-year-old Thompson is on the brink yet again of another UFC welterweight title shot. He is scheduled to face former title challenger Gilbert Burns in the co-main event of UFC 264 on July 10th. An impressive performance against Burns is sure to all but guarantee a title shot against the champion Kamaru Usman for his next outing.

Thompson has been on a tear since suffering a knockout loss to Anthony Pettis at UFC Fight Night 148. He has earned back-to-back unanimous decision victories against Vicente Luque and Geoff Neal, showcasing his elite striking and high fight IQ in the octagon against a couple of dangerous opponents.

Thompson has had two title shots in the past against former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley. After a majority draw at UFC 205, the two squared off in an immediate rematch at UFC 209 in which Woodley earned the win by majority decision.

If Thompson eventually crosses paths with Usman, it’s almost a certainty that he’ll need to brush up on his takedown defense against one of the best wrestlers in UFC history. Hopefully his recent run-in with a group of kids is nothing more than a tough day at the office.

What’s your reaction to this funny video with Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson?