#TFGinterview: UFC Welterweight contender Stephen Thompson - "UFC 205 was the worst version of Wonderboy"

UFC 209, is shaping up to be the next big UFC card on the horizon, with many exciting fights lined up, healdined by two title fights at the top of the card. While the much-anticipated fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson is set to be the co-main, the rematch for the welterweight championship between Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson will be the main event. 

The pair had previously met up in the co-main of the UFC's debut card in New York in November of last year, which ended in a memorable draw. Following that bout, a do-over was never in question, as both the UFC and the participating fighters were of the opinion that there was some 'unfinished business' between the two. 

However, the champion Woodley in recent times had been calling out for what he perceived as 'big money' fights with the likes of Conor Mcgregor, Georges St. Pierre, which prompted 'Wonderboy' to put out the fight contract on social media, to garner crowd support, which finally prompted the promotion to officially announce the fight. Ever since then, both the men involved in the main event have been doing the media rounds and The Fan Garage caught up with the challenger who very graciously, amidst a pressing schedule, spoke about his career, start in MMA and the upcoming fight in an exclusive for the Indian fans.

TFG: Everybody knows about your background as an accomplished striker, with your lifetime experience of training in Kenpo Karate. However, not a lot of people possess the successful Kickboxing record like yours. What do you attribute that to, and what is some of the most cherished memories from your time in that sport?

ST: The Kickboxing and Karate lineage is something that my family ingrained in me, and has been a part of me and my family for a long time. My Dad fought in kickboxing, back in the 70s' & 80s', my sister fought before me and they were my inspiration to move from point-fighting to Kickboxing with full contact rules. I started my career in full-contact at age 12, as a sparring partner for my sister, who would kinda beat me up all the time. But my dad knew what he was doing, as he was transitioning me from point-fighting, which is basically a game of touch to full-contact rules where everything I am throwing, was to cause damage.

It was a huge turning point for me, as a lot of the times point fighters are not used to getting hit, and it took me a long time to get used to it but I had my first Kickboxing fight when I was 15 years old. Very soon, I developed my game and started getting the better of my sister, and at a young age, I was going up against men much older with more professional experience and beating them in pro-kickboxing. 

TFG: One of the things that really doesn't get talked about the sport Karate guys, like say amateur wrestlers, is their durability and toughness. As a Kickboxer, I'm sure you competed all the time and had multiple matches in a month sometimes. Can you shed light on the kind of schedule you had during your time as a competitive kickboxer.

ST: So, I started my kickboxing career at age 15, and pretty much did everything I could do in that world. The WAKO tournament, our Olympics which happen in different countries every two years, it was in Hungary at that time with 175 countries participating. It was a weeklong event and the US had not brought in a gold since 1983, I believe. I won that gold, the IKF and all the other ones that mattered in the sport.

It was a few years later, in my mid-20s', I ended up tearing every ligament in my left leg, fighting for an organisation called the World Combat League operated by Chuck Norris. I was out for two years after that, they took out 40% of my meniscus out and I had two surgeries at that time on the left knee. Just a bit before this, I had fought in Montreal, Quebec, Canada when Georges St. Pierre and Firas Zahabi were in attendance and they invited me over to train with St. Pierre, in preparation for his upcoming fights.

Very soon, I started training with the likes GSP, Rashad Evans and then I thought to myself, “Why can't I do it?” and I decided to take a plunge into MMA full-time, had my first fight in 2010, and here we are.

TFG: Speaking of that toughness, nowhere was it more evident than in the fourth round of your last fight, when after being rocked multiple times, you refused to tap out to a guilotine choke by an accomplished grappler in Tyron Woodley. If you could for a quick second, recount what was going through your head during that time when he had you trapped in that choke, before you wriggled out of it?

ST: You know what, there is no quit in me and that's just how I have always been. When i am out in such situations, I have already trained for them as mentally, physically, I have to put myself through fire to develop that kind of toughness. So, I distinctly remember talking to myself when I was in that choke, I think Tyron heard me too, but he probably wouldn't have known what I was saying. I was telling myself that all the people there, including my corner and all the fans in attendance had come to see me, and I am not going to tap out.

Once I said that to myself, I felt his arms started loosening up, and burning and I sensed my opportunity to escape. But yeah, just telling myself that no matter what, I am not going to tap is what got me to survive the situation.

TFG: Heading into UFC 205, you had credited the Rory Macdonald fight as possibly your toughest matchup and he as your toughest opponent. After your last fight, has the opinion changed? If so, why?

ST: Well, to prepare for, I still think it was Rory who was my toughest opponent. Rory is the type of guy, who every time you see him fight, he is always evolving, always getting better and you really don't know what to expect. Tyron is just a tough dude, he is very explosive and he just caught me. That kind of stuff happens sometimes in the fight game, you got to be able to adapt from there. I still believe that Rory is my toughest opponent, as it was way more of a chess match than my fight against Tyron, who is a tough guy with great wrestling skills and a well-rounded game.

TFG: The rematch against Woodley got signed amid quite a bit of controversy, with you putting up the contract on Twitter, and him taking offense to it. Were you at any point, concerned that the rematch won't happen, which prompted you to go the whole social media route.

ST: Well, I kinda figured it was going to happen. It was just taking way too long. March 4th is just round the corner, and he was talking about fighting everybody else, but me, the guy he tied with. He even said that, we have unfinished business, but he was calling out names such as Geroges, Nick Diaz, Michael Bisping etc.

So, I just threw it out there to let him know that, 'Hey, we have already signed the contract, we're just waiting on you. And he did, though he got a little upset that I did that. But hey man, it got the job done.

TFG: His contention was that after your last fight, the argument was never about whether you won, but that it was whether he won or if the fight was a draw. So, he didn't necessarily feel obligated to fight you right after, when there is another clear-cut contender waiting, in Demian Maia. Your response?

ST: You know, it is what it is. If I was the champion, I could not move on if I tie with somebody. No matter if I thought I won or not, but the whole world saw it and that's what the UFC thought. So, basically I would have thought that I just got a participation trophy, to be honest. It's just me as a fighter, I do it for the honour and the glory and I couldn't move on from it. He seemed like he would do anything he could, to move on from it, it seemed like. 

It was a little disappointing at the time, but we managed to get the job done. So, I am happy (laughs).

TFG: Was there ever a point, after the last fight, when you thought of taking a fight, other than a title fight? If Yes/No, would Maia have made a logical next challenge?

ST: Ah, I am not the type of guy to sit down and wait. I wanna fight, so that was a possibility. There was also talk of me fighting Robbie Lawler as well, some of the other top guys but I kind of knew that the title fight was going to happen. It was just a matter of time, so that's who I was focused on, still am focused on and will be, until we do business in the cage on March 4th.

But yeah man, Demian Maia is a tough dude, not someone you can take lightly. He is awesome, he is amazing.

TFG: On a different note, your brother-in-law and training partner Chris Weidman fought on UFC 205, just before you did and suffered a devastating KO loss against Yoel Romero. Did that, in any way affect you heading into that fight, 'cos you seemed a bit more hesitant than your usual self?

ST: Oh, you know, Chris says it did, after it happened, but I don't like to make excuses. I saw it happen, and it looked devastating and it happened to such a good guy, when he was winning the fight. But I am a professional and I realised I was coming up soon and I had to focus on it. No excuses man, it stinks that it happened, but no excuses.

TFG: One of the more puzzling things, for me personally, was when you completely abandoned your trademark side kick to the body from the southpaw stance. While, he did take you down in the first off a roundhouse kick, you didn't throw a lot of the other techniques, we have come to know you for? Have you had a chance to reflect on why that was the case?

ST: You know what, it maybe because he caught me in the first round, off a roundhouse kick. It was a lazy kick man, I was just trying to get him to move his hands from the front, which it did. The second kick was going to go to the head, but he ended up catching the first one and taking me down. After that I was hesitant. For me, I didn't know why I was being so hesitant, as I didn't let my hands go. If you watch my fights, you will see that I let my hands go a lot more, change angles and throw a lot more side kicks.

You have your good days, and your bad days and even in training, some days you get the better of your training partner, some days they get the better of you. Sometimes, it may happen during a fight. That definitely wasn't a good day for me, I just wasn't in there. I don't know, if it was because of the whole hype around the event, or because it was a title fight, but I can't wait to get back out there and when I do, it will be a completely different Stephen Thompson.

TFG: Apart from winning the title, what are some of your other goals for this year, which has started in earnest?

That's my number one, getting that title bout. When my dad took me to my first UFC, I think it was UFC 2 or 3, it was in Charlotte, North Carolina. I told him then, that I will be in the UFC and would fight for the title. I am blessed to be in this position, to be honest. So, that's my number one, but we'll see man. I have some things coming up with my role as an analyst at FOX, but my prime focus is that title. That's what i got into this sport for, to be the champion.

TFG: Thank you Stephen, for all the time you have been giving us. It was interesting to see you visit the Phillipines last year, and try the local martial art 'Kali'. How was the whole experience like, in this part of the world in Asia, and have you ever heard or looked into any of the indigenous martial arts of India, such as Kalaripayattu among others?

ST: Oh my goodness, Yes! I am a lifelong martial artist and I think it's great to learn other martial arts and see what their application are all about. So, that will be awesome, if I am able to do that.

TFG: In closing, any final message for the huge contingent of Wonderboy' fans here in India, and what can we expect in the welterweight title fight at UFC 209 between you self and the reigning champion, tyron Woodley?

ST: Everybody tune in on March 4th, to see me and Tyron Woodley go out and have some fun. I appreciate all the support and hopefully, I will be able to come to India , sometime soon.