Written by Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC
Stephen Thompson still has gas left in tank, but with two fights left on his current UFC contract, “Wonderboy” understands where he’s at in his career.
Thompson returns to the octagon for the first time in 2025 when he faces Gabriel Bonfim in the co-main event of UFC Nashville this Saturday. The booking was a surprising one to most, but not Thompson. The 42-year-old, who looks to bounce back from a stoppage loss to Joaquin Buckley at UFC 307 this past October, has been the guy fighting the top contenders, himself, on the rise up the divisional ranks.
The popular welterweight hasn’t made a decision on where he goes, but is happy to have career options with the UFC.
“I’ve got two fights left, depending on how these fights go, [I’ll decide] whether or not I keep going,” Thompson told MMA Fighting. “I go out there and win these two fights and I do it in an amazing fashion, we’ll keep going, man. God forbid, if it doesn’t work out the way I want it to go, there are other options I can go — like the analyst job with the UFC. I don’t know if you know I’m doing a lot of that, which it beats getting punched and kicked in the face, but you’re still part of the game, you know what I mean?
“But I’m in this game to keep pushing myself. I’m 42 years old, the oldest guy in the UFC. I want to continue to keep pushing forward to try to see how good I can get, keep evolving, keep getting better. The last three or four guys that I faced have been top contenders with Buckley, who just fought Usman. You had Shavkat Rakhmonov, the Gilbert Burns’, and the Balal Muhammads’ and all these studs coming up. So, yeah, man. I’ve been in the top-five, top-10 since 2013, [maybe] 2014. So I think that’s pretty cool. Fought for the title twice, so I’m happy where I’m at. I love it, but I’m going to continue to do it as long as my body will let me. So we’ll see how these fights go.”
Thompson is set for his 22nd octagon appearance, which includes two championship opportunities against Tyron Woodley — fighting to a majority draw at UFC 205 in November 2016, and a majority decision loss in the rematch four months later at UFC 209.
At this point in his fighting career, Thompson approaches the game a bit different — still with a lot of hunger, but with changing variables.
“It’s crazy how long I’ve been in this game,” Thompson said. “There’s guys that are in the UFC that have been there longer, but at the same time, I’ve been in here for what, 13 years, going on 14 years, since 2012. So as you get older, your mindset changes a little bit when it comes to the fight game. When you’re in your early career, it’s like, I’m just hungry. I’m hungry for everything. I’m hungry for the fight, I’m hungry for this, I’m hungry for the title.
“And now it’s like, yeah, I’ve been there, I’ve done that. I’m ready. I feel like, physically, I’m better than I was in the past and now you’re a little bit more wise when it comes to stepping out there in the octagon and how you approach it. So it’s cool, at this point, to realize what I’ve been through and what I’ve done, and I don’t mind the crossroads at this point. If it doesn’t go the way I wanted it to go, I’ve got this [analyst job] I can do and still be a part of the UFC, and still be with it, still break fighters down, and I think it’s cool to be able to be there. Been in the game long enough.”
Thompson faces the dangerous Bonfim, who is 4-1 in the UFC and currently on a two-fight win streak. In his most recent outing, Bonfim stopped Khaos Williams with a technical submission at UFC Vegas 102 in February.
In a high-risk, lower-reward fight than he’s accustomed to, Thompson embraces the challenge ahead of him against a rising contender at 170.
“And this guy, Gabriel Bonfim coming up, he’s a very aggressive guy coming forward,” Thompson explained. “Only knows one direction, that’s forward. He comes out guns blazing, so he waits on guys to… I think people get a little overwhelmed and they decide to shoot on this guy and that’s what he wants. Kind of like Kevin Holland, he’s got great takedown defense and the fact that he can sub you, he’s got long arms, he’s looking to D’arce you, he’s looking to to guillotine you, and I think that’s what he’s waiting for.
“It’s either that or he’s trying to get me up against the fence like everybody else does, and I spent a lot of my career there, so I feel very comfortable there. And I don’t mind the aggressiveness out of this guy. I’ve made my career off of guys that are coming straight at you.Bbut I think he’s a very intelligent fighter. He’s going have some tricks up his sleeves, and he got good coaches, so I’m down for wherever, man. I’m ready for wherever the fight goes.”
While a decision isn’t made just yet on whether or not he’ll call it a career after his contract expires, Thompson has a thought on who he’d like to face on the final fight of his deal — which could be the last time he competes inside the hallowed octagon.
“It’s always the guy holding the title, but there’s not really one guy that really sticks out,” Thompson said. “If I want to go out, I want it to be a striking extravaganza, if you will, like [a Carlos Prates]. That would be a good one, I think. I think that’ll be a fun fight.
“Both guys standing up, banging it out, not looking for the takedown and give the fans and UFC what they want, you know what I mean? You go out on your shield, so I think that would be a cool one.”