Why is Stephen Thompson called 'Wonderboy'?
Stephen Thompson fought in his first professional kickboxing bout at the tender age of 15, hence earning the monicker 'Wonderboy.'
But his introduction to martial arts came even earlier. He started training at the age of just three under the tutelage of his father, Ray Thompson, who is a former professional kickboxer and karate instructor.
"When I was 15, I fought a guy who was 26 and he was 20-0, undefeated. It was a way for my dad to show me that I was better than I thought," Thompson revealed during an interview with Talksport.com.
“I ended up beating the brakes off this 26-year-old guy. After the fight, the announcer asked my opponent how it felt. He answered, ‘I wonder why I stepped in the ring with that boy.’” The announcer jumped on this, and he became ‘Wonderboy.’"
Stephen Thompson kickstarted his career with a spectacular win over an undefeated 26-year-old with 20 wins under his belt. 'Wonderboy' then went on to compile an immaculate record of 37-0 before transitioning into MMA in 2010.
Two years later, Stephen Thompson made a splashy octagon debut against Daniel Stittgen at UFC 143. 'Wonderboy' knocked Stittgen out in the opening round with a sneaky head kick that his opponent didn't see coming.
Stephen Thompson returns at UFC 264
Stephen Thompson will appear for the first time this year in the co-main event of the highly-anticipated UFC 264 fight card. He will take on former UFC welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns.
A win for 'Wonderboy' at UFC 264 inserts him into the 170-pound title picture again. Colby Covington is expected to be next in line for a shot at Kamaru Usman's welterweight title, while Leon Edwards is also waiting in the wings.
But Stephen Thompson hopes that a statement win over the Brazilian could land him a future fight with 'The Nigerian Nightmare'.
“If I go out there with a good win, I hope he takes it,” he told MMA Junkie. “I’m like the only guy that he hasn’t faced yet in the top five. He’s faced Leon Edwards early in his career. He’s fought Colby Covington. He’s fought Gilbert Burns. The only guy is me. Like, come on, man, let’s make this happen. Of course I’m not looking past Gilbert. I got a tough guy in front of me this Saturday, so I’ve got to be prepared.”
Stephen Thompson has had two opportunities to claim gold in the past against Tyron Woodley. Both times, however, 'Wonderboy' fell short, with the first fight ending in a draw and the rematch concluding in a majority decision win for Woodley.