MMA Fighting - Stephen Thompson: UFC Has 'Settled Everything' From Fight Cancellation Ahead Of UFC 296

Episode Date: November 6, 2023

UFC welterweight Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson joins MMA Fighting's Mike Heck to preview his UFC 296 matchup with Shavkat Rakhmonov, talks he and the UFC working out an agreement financially following his UFC 291 fight cancellation with Michel Pereira, Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington, Kamaru Usman's performance against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294, and much more. Follow Mike Heck: @MikeHeck_JR Subscribe to MMA Fighting Check out our full video catalog Like MMA Fighting on Facebook Follow on Twitter Read More: http://www.mmafighting.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Support for this show comes from the Audible Original, the downloaded two, ghosts in the machine. The Earth only has a few days left. Rosco Cudulian and the rest of the Phoenix colony have to re-upload their minds into the quantum computer, but a new threat has arisen that could destroy their stored consciousness forever. Listen to Oscar winner Brendan Fraser reprise his role as Rosco Cudulian in this follow-up to the Audible Original Blockbuster. The Downloaded, it's a thought-provoking sci-fi journey where identity, memory, and morality collide. Robert J. Sawyer does it again with this much-anticipated sequel that leaves you asking, What are you willing to lose to save the ones you love?

The Downloaded 2, Ghosts in the Machine. Available now, only from Audible. Support for this show comes from the Audible original, The Downloaded 2. Ghosts in the Machine. The Earth only has a few days left. Rosco Cudullian and the rest of the Phoenix colony have to re-upload their minds into the quantum computer, but a new threat has arisen that could destroy their stored consciousness forever. Listen to Oscar winner Brendan Fraser reprised his role as Rosco Cudulian in this follow-up to the Audible Original Blockbuster, The Downloaded.

It's a thought-provoking sci-fi journey where identity, memory, and morality collide. Robert J. Sawyer does it again with this much-anticipated sequel that leaves you asking, what are you willing to lose to save the ones you love? The downloaded two, ghosts in the machine, available now, only from Audible. Hello to the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Hello to Stephen Wonderboy Thompson. It has been a minute since we have had the opportunity to chat like this back in the Octagon, December 16th. UFC 296, massive the Iranivani will take on the undefeated Shopcott, Rachmano. of Wonder Boy, good to see you, my man. How are you? It's great, man. I'm glad to be on with you, my friend. Busy, man. Trainy camp's going well.

Obviously, still teaching classes, doing the after-school pickups. It's wild and crazy, but I love it. Yes, you're part of this MMA world. You're ingrained in it as a fighter. So if it's crazy as a journalist, I'm sure it's ten times crazier as a fighter for you. So, and this is a really interesting time for you because, as everybody knows, you were supposed to fight Michelle Pereira, in July. We all know what happened there with the missing Wade and you chose not to take the fight, which is I've had your back the entire time with that, by the way. And then, you know, the whole thing with the pay and now you're fighting Shavkar Akbanav, what it seemed like maybe you and Kamar Usman were sort of circling the wagons a little bit. So there's a lot been going on your life all the time,

but more specifically in the last three months. So how would you describe the last three months from the Friday before UFC 291 when Michelle Pereer, wait to right now, what have these last few months been like for you? It has been pretty crazy, man. I mean, with a lot of things that could have happened that didn't, you know, with the fight, obviously with Michelle and then the possibility of fighting Kamara Usman had been exciting. But, you know, that was all wild and crazy. Me and the UFC and my management, we've settled everything, so everything's great. And Kamara Usman ended up calling me out. And I was like, dude, you know, I'm

you know, the UFC's wanted me to face these guys who have been ranked behind me that I have the number one contender calling me out. But the UFC, I think they had different plans, or at least Kamar Ouzman had different plans. So I was kind of left with nobody. And they offered me Shavkat. And who's a guy that's been ranked above me? And not only is he ranked above me, but he's one of the scariest dudes in the UFC right now, especially in the What's the Way Division, undefeated, 100% finish rate.

the guy is super, super strong, super tough. And now's the time, I think, for me to prove myself. I've kind of looked at it as a blessing, you know, for me to go up, fight somebody ranked above me and prove to the world in the UFC that I deserve another title shot, you know? So if I go out there and do what I know I can do against Shavkat, then I could be there, hopefully there pretty soon within the next year or two. You said something that I want to touch back on.

You said you and the UFC have settled everything. You and your managing the UFC have settled everything. I know when you were last time with my colleague, Gary Halani, you were hopeful that perhaps this would all come together with the pay with this fight because, you know, you didn't get paid at first, but kind of gone back and forth seemed like your management was working out. So you're saying all this is taking care of, we're good. The bank account is healthy now.

Yeah, man. I mean, we settled with something that we were both happy with. and that was kind of that and that was it it took a little bit obviously they're a business and they had a lot of side going on and so so have I so my managers have been kind of taking care of everything but yeah man I was happy with everything with UFC has done for me and and you know we got away from this last fight with a smile on our faces so not only that but you know be able to get a fight obviously against the top opponent and one of the best I think one of the stack most you know, stat cards of the year, the last card of the year. And it's, it's, it's, uh, it's going to be one of the best cards, I think. Yeah, it's, it's the Welterweight Division especially is going to be on display with the main events in for the title. And we'll talk about that in a minute as well.

But, you know, back, not, not, it was about a year ago, maybe Shafcott was a name that got brought up to you a lot. And you're like, hey, you know, maybe not. But obviously the Jeff Neal fight is one of the best fights of the year. It was absolutely insane. We got to see him tested a little bit. And he came through with an insane fit. that bulldog choke that was just absolutely nasty.

Was it the Jeff Neal fight that kind of changed things for you on top of just nobody was really available? What really changed in your views and wanting to fight Shofcott and being open to that idea? Yeah, yeah. Well, at first, to be honest with you, I didn't know who he was. I wasn't keeping an eye on some of the guys that were lower rank than me in the division. I felt there were more guys that were higher ranked, more deserving of a fight. So I ended up turning the fight down.

But after that, I definitely kept my eye on him, you know, just to see what this guy is all about. I knew he was undefated. But I really didn't know who he was. And that's just me being truthful. But keeping an eye on him, especially what he did against Neil Magny. You know, I was watching that fight, which is awesome. And then Jeff Neal, who was known as the Dark Horseout, who I've actually went five, five-minute rounds with, wasn't able to finish him. But Shavcott did in three rounds.

It was a tough fight. had that last minute bulldog choke at the very end. And, you know, the hype around this guy and that he's good everywhere. He's great grappler, great striker, and he's a guy that comes to fight. You know, I know if I face this guy,

and everybody is always hesitant when I go up against grapplers because they're afraid they're going to go the Gilbert Burns route and just hold me, you know, which doesn't make for an exciting fight. And at the time, I really didn't know that guys would win fight. fights that way. You know what I mean? But Shafat is the guy, he's the type of guy that's going to go out there and fight you. He's not just going to hold you just to win. He's going to try to sleep you or try to submit you, which makes for an exciting fight. So that's what I'm all about, man. I want to go out there and prove myself against the best and do it in an exciting manner. And so where the UFC and the fans are entertained. And when I fight guys like that, I feel like it brings the best out of me. So I'll be able to go out there and put on a show.

and be able to prove to the UFC that I am deserving of a title shot. Because he said to you in the past, don't worry about it. I'm not even going to try to take you down. We'll just get in there and slug it out. Do you believe it? Like, I mean, obviously you're going to prepare for everything, but do you kind of see like that's a possibility that he's just going to stand there and try to prove something

and just try to outstrike you? I don't think so, to be honest with you. I mean, just as everybody that I had faced that said that they were going to do that and they ended up going a different route. I ended up trying to shoot and take me down. But Shavkat is a very good striker. And I think he's going to go out there and just beat me the way he's beat everybody else. You know, use every tool that he's got in his arsenal to do so.

If that's striking, if that is wrestling, his clinch is grappling. So I'm going to go out there and face off against the best Shovkat Rockmanab and wherever the fight goes and whatever happens happens, I'm going to go out there and give it at all. I mean, if it's a knockout, if it's a knockout, if it's not, I'm going out there with my hands raised at the end of the fight. You've said time and time again, all of our conversations, over the last couple of years. I don't care at anybody things. I want to get back to that belt.

If people don't think I can get there, I don't care. I'm just going to go and try to get there anyways because at this point, you're a year, you're a day older than I am, Stephen. I understand what this is all about. I understand we're kind of on the last legs,

but you still love doing this, but you want to get one more last crack at that title. So you go out there and you defy the odds and you beat a guy like Shafkar Akmanov on the same card where the World Tait is being defended. Where does this put you?

Do you feel like you're a fight away, two fights away? Like where do you think a win over Shofcott puts you in this division? Oh, man. I mean, one of the scariest guys in the division who nobody wants to fight. The guy's undefeated. He's potentially the next welterweight champ is what I'm hearing. Dude, it gets me at least two fights away. I mean, maybe you've had to fight the number one contender and then a title fight.

I don't know. But it's got to put me right up there with that title contendership. You know what I mean? Whoever the number one contender is at the time could be Colby Covington, could be Camaro's man, I don't know. But I'll be facing off against one of those guys for sure. That's what I believe. Do you feel that it is better for your chances if one guy wins over the other in the

main event? Like if Leon wins, maybe meritocracy continues to rear its uncle. It's normal head. And if Colby wins, everything just kind of blows up into smithereens and anything could happen. Like, do you feel like one guy needs to win for your title chances to improve? I don't think so, to be honest with you. I mean, even if Colby Covington's wins,

you know, Ousman's beat him twice, right? So he's fought everybody else. I mean, but it would be more exciting if Leon Edwards would have it because, you know, I've tried to fight the guy in the past and he said no, called him out a few times. He's more of a striker than he is a grappler. Even though he did take down Kamara Ouzman at the first trying to hold him down, he's got that. But I do feel like he's more apt to keep the fight standing and put on a show for the fans.

Colby Covington, he's going to be shooting all day. He's going to be shooting, shooting, shooting, and try to outlast you, try to beat me on the ground. But I think Leon's going to be more of an exciting fight. So I would love to see Leon take it home. Do you feel like he does in your heart apart? I think so. I really do.

I really think that he can do it. I mean, we saw what Kamar Uzman did to Colby, right? And we know how strong and how big of a fighter Leon Edwards is. He's got great cardio. He's just as dangerous in the fifth round as he is in the first, as we saw the first fight with Kamara Usman. He has great takedown defense,

and he's very intelligent fighter. So I do believe that he's going to come out with the W. We weren't sure where Kamar Usman was going to do coming out of the second Leon Edwards fight, right? We thought maybe Bilal Muhammad there talks about, oh, we got something from Bilal. We're like, well, what else makes sense besides Kamaru? And then 12 days notice after Paula Costa gets injured,

he steps in to fight Hamzaa, Shemayev, who has just been an absolute wrecking ball. And the man performed admirably. Hamzat looked like the greatest fighter we had ever seen for five minutes. Usman weather's the storm, wins round two, arguably wins round three, depending on who you ask. What did you make of Kamara's performance on short notice against Shemayev? I thought it was great.

I thought it was great. I did believe, you know, he did fatigue. Obviously, he's known for his cardio, but on a 12, 11 day notice, oh my gosh. To go three rounds nonstop, it was awesome. I thought he did a very good job at 185. And to be honest with you, I feel like Hamzad is a small middleweight, you know, compared to most guys in the wealthyweight, I mean in the middleweight division. I feel like he's a small welterweight. I just think he's a little lazy.

He doesn't want to get down to the 170. But that said, you know, I thought Kamar Uzman was awesome. I thought he did a really good job. And now I'm hearing, you know, he might stay at 185. I don't know. you know there's a lot of guys that 1 85 that are that is that is you know calling kamara who's been out so i don't know we'll see we'll see where he goes for sure i mean he does make the 170 fairly easy so i feel like he he could possibly go back down to the wealth

weight division and possibly face off against uh bala mahomet here in the future so we'll see how'd you react if he stayed in middleweight that could be almost like the one that got away in some respects like i just can't imagine you guys not fighting each other at some point. Yeah, that would be, that would be a kind of a disappointment. I mean, he's a good, he's a cool, he's a good guy. We've hung out a few times, very honorable guy. But yeah, that would be, I think it would be a great fight. And like he said, he's the one guy that, I'm the one guy that got away. So he called me, he ended up calling me out, obviously. Obviously, the UFC didn't like that. So he went somewhere else. But I think it would be a cool fight.

Let me ask you this, because we mentioned Blah, Mohammed, and you two stepped in the octagon with him. and by all sort of merits and the way we sort of construct who should be next in line to fight for the title. I don't know what else Belah Mahomet really needs to do at this point. Yeah. I've been taught a long time ago to strike the word deserves from my vocabulary when it comes to UFC and title shots and rankings and all that. But you've been in weird positions yourself because it wasn't all that long ago because I was running through 2016 for a show because people are trying to compare this year to 2016. And I was like, you have to, this is all the stuff that happened in 2016. including a pay-per-view being not really canceled,

but taking off pay-per-view and then changed to FS1 the week before the card. And you just happened to be in the main event and you knocked out Johnny Hendricks. And we were wondering when you were going to get your shot? When are you going to get the title shot? Targ Woodley wins the belt. And it's like, well, I want to fight GSP or I want to fight Nick Diaz or somebody like that. And you're like, come on, man. Like, what do we have to do here?

Yeah. Blah Muhammad called you right now and said, Stephen, I don't know if you can get this title shot right now. Like, what else do I need to do to get into the, this position. What would you tell him because you've been in these kinds of positions yourself? I would tell him to wait, man. I would say, look, you're deserving of the title. If you face off against anybody else, I mean, anything could happen at this point, especially with these guys at this level. I would tell him, look, man, I would, I would wait for it, bro. I would, I would wait on it.

I would let the UFC know. I would get on social media. I would do everything I can to get this guy to fight me or to get that title shot. But yeah, man. I mean, he's. He's a lot. I mean, he he's fought and it beat some of the best guys in the World's Way Division, including myself and, and, you know, Damia Maya. I would like to see him fight Leon Edwards again because of the eye poke. You remember the last time? They ended up, you know, they ended up cancel the fight or because of a dang eye poke. Like, come on, man.

It was, it started off as a good fight, and that was one fight that I would love to see finished. So I would say, wait for it, man. don't take another fight until you get let you have to know where you stand and get that shot this has been because when you don't know what seven fights eight fight winning streak yeah he's he hasn't lost it a long time that's ridiculous i think jeff neal was the last guy to beat him yeah i mean what the heck what else do you do i don't know i don't know i've my whole thing and it's kind of like silly but i've been saying from day one i'm like ball all just needs to be better when the mic is on him

because there are certain times where he wins a big fight and I remember tweeting out one point I'm like, just call it Hamzot, just go all in on Hamzot, like you'd call him out in other interviews, like just go now.

Like, now's the time. Like, don't call it Usen, don't call it Colby. And then he goes and calls out both of those guys and not Hamza. I'm like, no, what are you doing? Like, realistically, you're not going to get that fight right now,

but the performances have spoken for themselves. Like him showing up on 12 days notice or whatever it was to beat Gilbert as a way that he did. Like, the man deserves it. But this is a hundred percent. I would love to see that fight though with him and Hamzat. I would have loved to have seen it.

Oh my gosh. Yeah, both have, and the thing is, Bala has cardio as well. He's got cardio for days. And Hamzad is notorious for his fatiguing. And he was fatigued after his last fight after the third round. He was still huffing to puffin because he gives all he's got into that wrestling. He just squeezes the air, the life out of his opponent. But that would be a great fight.

I mean, you saw the takedown defense against Bala Muhammad and, And Damia, who I hear is one of the strongest 185ers, let alone welterweight's out there. And he couldn't get him down. I thought, I think that would be an exciting fight for sure. Absolutely. This has been a year of guys defying the odds. Sean Strickland is the middleweight champion of the world and everything else that has happened. Steve, Steven, Francis and Ghanu arguably beat Tyson Fury in a boxing match this past Saturday.

I know. What are we, what is going on here? Did you watch the fight? No, I didn't watch the. I didn't actually watch the fight. We had guys that I was helping corner during all that. We had some guys fighting this past weekend. But I went back and watched the highlights, the knockdown.

I mean, this is a guy who's fought MMA. And we've seen a lot of guys go boxing and see what the boxers have done. It's a completely different sport, right? Even though it's a combat sport, it's completely different, man. And the rule settings and everything. So do you be able to see somebody like, Francis and Ghanu, and I'm knocking the, I mean, the heavyweight champ down, right? And what?

Like, what the, what the heck? You know, I freaked out. Like, what the heck is just, I mean, obviously Tyson Fury won. He, you know, he won as, you know, boxers do outpointing your opponent, you know, controlling the, control on the ring, just picking his shots. But in MMA, I feel like power shots. account for more than just outpointing your opponent. You know what I mean?

So I feel in my eyes that, you know, that could have possibly gone. If that was the MMI, MMA fight, that could have possibly been gone. You know, that would have been Francis Ngano's win just because of the power shots that he threw defying all odds, knocking down the heavyweight champ, which is, should not have happened. Pride rules. Francis wins. Oh, 100%.

Friends wins pride rules. You saw the next day, Francis is doing his thing on his YouTube channel and he looks, doesn't even look like he's been in a fight. And then Tyson does one on his and he looks like he got like it with a sledgehammer. The black guy. Some guys just have that one hit or quitter power. There was a guy that I, that I, that I, that I, uh, uh, spart against. It was a up in Montreal where I was trained with GSP with the Grant brothers.

And there was a, Adonis, I forgot his last thing as a formal champion. But it was, I've never been hit so hard of my life. I got hit in the arms and my arm went numb just from the power of this guy had. But I feel like Francis has that power. You know, it just has it. Some guys don't, but he just has it. So if he touches you anywhere, you're going to feel it. So after the fight, like for sure.

I mean, he looked like he wasn't, he was in a stroll in a park. And then Tyson Fury, he was got the black eye and all that good stuff. Looks like he's been beat up. But hats off to Francis and Gondon to go out there. and face somebody in a completely different sport. You'll never see a boxer do that. You don't see a boxer come to MFA.A. Won't happen.

No. There's talks about maybe Deonté Wilder coming over and doing like a mixed rules fight with Francis, which would be fascinating. Well, it did happen once and we saw what happened. Yeah. You know what I mean? I mean. You know, and that's why it won't ever happen again for that reason right there.

I was there that night when James Tony took a guy. Were you really? It was in Boston. That's where you live. Oh, man. of my life, yeah. That's crazy, man. I had no idea that you've been out of that long.

Yeah, man. James Tony is, uh, he sold it. He made us believe. Yeah. He's going to. People, he kicked out to it. We're going for those low singles, man. Let me stay away from his hands.

Low single. There, there is a guy that I think could possibly have done well. And that, that's just Mike Tyson. Oh, yeah. I mean, I mean, lower center of gravity, thick legs, It's really strong, but anyway, we can go in all day on that. Absolutely.

It was like having a young whippersnapper, Chase Hooper back in the gym. Now he's a lightweight. He's getting on. He's got the muscle mass now. Look at this guy. I saw him. I was like, boy, you're bigger than I am. He was literally bigger than me when he came in, for real.

And, you know, I'm considered, I mean, I'm not big wealthy weight, but he was massive. And the guys improved tremendously, man. I mean, since the last time that he was here, he's worked on a ton of stuff that we have been practicing with him on and he's gone back and it almost perfected it. So you'll see his striking improve a ton. So I'm looking forward to it, man. The kid, the kids, the kid's great and he's still growing every day, which is cool to see. You know what I mean?

I mean, starting in, got into the UFC, one of the youngest UFC signings out there, you know, ever. And then just to watch him grow. It's just been a pleasure. Yes, and we are looking forward to his return against Jordan Levin. we're looking forward to your returning. Shopcar, Akmanoff. UFC 296, do not miss a final pay-per-view of the year, and that card is absolutely stacked.

Stephen, great catching up with you, my man. I appreciate the time. All the best of the rest of the camp, and we'll see you back on that Octagon December 16th. Always a pleasure, my friend. Have a good one. You're listening to the Vox Media Podcast Network.