Make no mistake about it: Stephen Thompson is still gunning to become UFC champion.
Thompson (17-6-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC) snapped a two-fight losing skid with a striking masterclass over Kevin Holland this past December in the UFC on ESPN 42 headliner. Those two losses came to top contenders Gilbert Burns and Belal Muhammad, who used a grappling-heavy approach to stifle his offense.
Thompson’s next assignment comes in the form of flashy striker Michel Pereira (28-11 MMA, 6-2 UFC) on June 10 at UFC 289 in Vancouver. Pereira is on a five-fight winning streak, but the Brazilian sits numerous spots below “Wonderboy” in the rankings. Thompson, a former two-time title challenger, explains that with a solid win over Pereira, he aims to return to top contention.
“After those two losses, I’m going to have to do some work in order to get back to fight somebody that’s ranked higher than me,” Thompson, 40, told MMA Junkie. “So I think a good win over Kevin and a good win over Michel Pereira, the next fight after that I could definitely be fighting somebody in the top 5. And that’s the goal: to go for that title run again. And I still feel like I have the ability and youthfulness to do so. I think a good win over him will set me up perfectly for a fight in the top five.”
Thompson has halted the momentum of numerous rising contenders such as Vicente Luque and Geoff Neal when cementing his spot as a top contender. Despite Pereira’s wild style in the octagon, Thompson rates his striking very highly and is excited for the challenge.
“I think he’s very good,” Thompson said. “He actually comes from a karate background. He’s competed in a lot of karate tournaments back in the day. So he’s familiar with my style, which I think is gonna make it interesting. What kind of changes is he gonna make for it? But predominantly he keeps one side forward – he switches every now and then, but predominantly he’s a right-handed guy.
“So he keeps his left side forward, loves the flying knees, loves to throw his right hand. He’s a big welterweight, and when a big guy like that hits you a few times, you’re gonna feel it a lot more with a guy with a bigger body than somebody your size. So I’ve got to be aware. I’ve got to be on my P’s and Q’s when I fight him. He’s a very good striker.”
“Wonderboy” is excited about standing and trading with Pereira, but what are the chances Pereira shoots for a takedown? Thompson says more than likely.
“I’ve seen him fight, and he does shoot,” Thompson said. “He shot against Ponzinibbio. I would say it’s like 65 percent percent chance he’s gonna shoot. I didn’t think one time that Kevin (Holland) was gonna do it, and he did several times. So I think Michel definitely, when he gets out there, he’s gonna be shooting. Maybe not first round, maybe second and third, but we’ll see.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 289.
