"Scary opponent" - Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson weighs in on a potential fight against middleweight champion Israel Adesanya
UFC welterweight fighter Stephen Thompson has shared his thoughts on a potential fight against current 185-pound champion Israel Adesanya.
Speaking to James Lynch, 'Wonderboy' said it would be fun to fight one of the best strikers in the UFC:
"I think it would be very fun. I think it would be an interesting matchup and win or lose with that, just stepping out there and fighting one of the best strikers in the UFC would just be amazing," said Stephen Thompson.
Thompson then listed some of the strengths that 'The Last Stylebender' possesses in his fighting style:
"He's got the reach, man. he's got the length, he's got great timing, a scary opponent, but me being who I am and wanting to fight the best guys, the best strikers and me, you, know, considering myself one of the best strikers, why not? You know what I mean, I think that would be awesome, it would be [an] awesome fight, for sure."
You can watch a clip of the interview below:
Israel Adesanya and Stephen Thompson are known for their elite striking skills in the octagon. Therefore, a showdown between the two would be a delight for MMA fans around the world.
Thompson was last seen in action at UFC 264 when he took on fellow welterweight contender Gilbert Burns in the three-round co-main event. 'Wonderboy', who was hoping to earn a title shot with a win over 'Durinho', found himself on the losing side. The fight was declared a unanimous decision victory for the Brazilian fighter as all three judges scored the contest 29-28 in Burns' favor.
Israel Adesanya's rematch with Robert Whittaker may not happen till 2022
It appears fans will have to wait until 2022 to see the highly-anticipated rematch between Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker. Due to COVID restrictions in New Zealand, UFC may be planning to hold off on the rematch till the end of 2021.
Adesanya called out 'Bobby Knuckles' after his successful title defense at UFC 263.