Two-time welterweight title challenger, Stephen Thompson, is looking to make a title run in 2021 after picking up two big wins over top welterweight contenders, Vicente Luque, and Geoff Neal, in his last two fights.
During a recent interview with MMA Fighting’s, Mike Heck, on his show What the Heck, Thompson, 37, touched on having to take on prospects in his last two fights, and how he feels he stacks up against the top of the welterweight division.
“I know I’m (done taking on prospects), and I hope the UFC’s on the same page,” Thompson said. “I think I’ve proved in my last couple fights against some up and comers. Geoff Neal was undefeated in the UFC, the seven fight win streak that Vicente Luque had, you know, they gotta give me someone at the top. I know a lot of these guys are booked or maybe have fights coming up, but I really know that I could fight for the title for sure. I was telling everybody 2021 is gonna be my year. It is my year, and I’m gonna have that belt around my waist for sure.”
Although being one of the oldest fighters in the UFC, Thompson (16-4-1 MMA, 11-4-1 UFC), has made a career of not taking much damage throughout his fights. He believes that he still has a lot left in the tank, and at the moment he isn’t even thinking about retirement.
“Even though I’ll be 38 in February, I feel like I’m 25,” Thompson said. “I don’t take a lot of damage. I heal up fairly nicely as you can tell, so I got a long time (left) in this game, and I’m still improving.”
Thompson, who’s coming off a unanimous decision victory over, Geoff Neal (13-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC), last December, is currently still waiting to get an MRI for a quad injury that he suffered during the fight. If all is well, Thompson, is looking to get back in the octagon sometime around March or April.
Source: Youtube.com
