"Reminds me of Conor McGregor vs. Jose Aldo" - Stephen Thompson breaks down the best UFC finishes of 2023
Stephen Thompson has put forth his analysis of the top stoppages that transpired in the UFC in 2023. 'Wonderboy' said that the list comprises not just knockouts but submissions as well.
In a video posted on Instagram, the welterweight mainstay first discussed 'Sugar' Sean O'Malley's second-round TKO victory over Aljamain Sterling. O'Malley stunned Sterling with precise counterstrikes on the feet and finished him with ground-and-pound to win the bantamweight title at UFC 292 in August 2023.
Thompson drew parallels between that and Conor McGregor's iconic 13-second KO win against Jose Aldo in their featherweight title unification bout at UFC 194 in December 2015. The 40-year-old said:
"You're gonna see a front kick. Ooh, right there! Boom! There it is. Oh, my goodness! And then, the ground-and-pound finish. This TKO was slick.
"The fade back coming over top reminds me of Conor McGregor vs. Jose Aldo. This is why distance management is very important, especially when it comes to luring your opponent out, getting them to overextend on a punch."
Apart from the O'Malley-Sterling finish, the list of the UFC's best finishes in 2023 includes Justin Gaethje's second-round head kick KO win against Dustin Poirier in their rematch at UFC 291 in July 2023.
Thompson explained that the finish was similar to Leon Edwards' fifth-round head kick KO win over Kamaru Usman in their rematch in August 2022:
"Alright, next up, here it comes. Bam! Exactly like Leon Edwards (in the Edwards-Usman rematch), 2 (straight/cross punch) into the roundhouse kick.
"What made that (Gaethje's kick against Poirier) work is he left his right arm out there as that distraction as his leg came up. And that's what did it right there. I've been preaching that for years!"
The third fight on the list is undefeated MMA stalwart Shavkat Rakhmonov's third-round submission over Geoff Neal at UFC 285 in March 2023. Talking about Rakhmonov, a familiar foe, Thompson said:
"Alright. Up next. Oh! This is him. Shavkat Rakhmonov finishing Geoff Neal. Bam! Right hand staggers him, and there's the knee. Oh, man! That made me po*p my pants, actually.
"Boom! There's the bulldog choke, looking around. He locked his body ... Geoff Neal, I feel you, my man. I've been there."
Watch Thompson's breakdown below:
What's next for Stephen Thompson after recent UFC stoppage defeat?
Speaking of top-tier stoppages inside the octagon in 2023, Stephen Thompson was on the receiving end of one against Kazakh welterweight Shavkat Rakhmonov this month (December 2023).
Rakhmonov thoroughly out-grappled and stopped the American fighter by second-round submission.
Thompson subsequently reassured the MMA community that he still refuses to abandon his world title aspirations. Colby Covington competed on the same fight card, failing in his attempt to dethrone Leon Edwards as the welterweight champion.
During the post-fight press conference, 'Chaos' lambasted Thompson and challenged him to a showdown inside the octagon. Whether or not a potential Covington-Thompson matchup materializes remains to be seen, though.
Watch Covington's call-out of Thompson below: