by Welcome to The Weekly Takedown, Sports Illustrated’s in-depth look at MMA. Each week, this column offers insights and insights into the most notable stories in the world of wrestling.
Michael Chandler delivered one of the greatest knockouts of all time against Tony Ferguson at UFC 274, landing a front kick that was an equally heady mix of brutality and emotion.
The loss was especially humiliating for Ferguson, an icon of the sport who entered the fight riding a three-fight losing streak. His spirits rose momentarily after a competitive first round, in which he hit Chandler in the right eye, which Chandler later admitted affected his vision. The bruise around his eye was beginning to swell when Chandler finished the fight 17 seconds into the second round with that career-defining kick of his own to Ferguson’s face, a moment that completely wiped out Ferguson’s brief momentum. .
Among those watching was Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson. For the 10-year UFC veteran, the moment brought back memories of his KO loss three years ago against Anthony Pettis.
“I’ve literally been in a Tony Ferguson situation,” Thompson said. “I’ve been there, and I feel sorry for Tony.”
Stephen “Wonder Boy” Thompson.
Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports
Thompson started his mixed martial arts career impressively, winning all but one of his first 14 fights. That put him in position to fight for the welterweight title, which he did against reigning champion Tyron Woodley at Madison Square Garden in November 2016 at UFC 205. That fight ended in a draw, and Woodley later won the rematch at the UFC. 209 the following March. Thompson split his next two fights, then entered the cage against Pettis looking to get his championship goals back on track.
After a strong opening round, Thompson and Pettis went back and forth in the second. Just before the round came to an end, Pettis landed a vicious right-handed Superman punch, knocking Thompson out with just five seconds remaining.
“I really think he was beating Pettis in the first round, just like Tony Ferguson was working against Chandler,” Thompson said. “He hurt Chandler in that first round, and it was the same with me. He was ready to go back out for the second round and put it on. And then came the knockout. In this sport, that happens.
“But Tony hasn’t pouted. He reacted like a true martial artist. All you can do is grow from those kinds of losses and get better.”
Anthony Pettis defeated Stephen Thompson at UFC Fight Night in March 2019.
Christopher Hanewinckel/USA TODAY Sports
Thompson (16-6-1) still has a lot to offer in the cage, but he’s also one of the most insightful minds in the game. That passion will be on full display when she takes on the role of sensei/analyst in the final season of karate combatwhich opens this Saturday.
“This is an opportunity for people to see me outside the cage,” Thompson said. “Martial arts are not a job for me, they are a lifestyle. We run a school here in Simpsonville, South Carolina and we have about 830 students. Karate is my life, and it’s great to see it become a full contact sport.
“And I love breaking down fights and breaking down competitors, letting people know what’s going on inside the fight. I love this sport so much. Racing in front of the fans and risking it all is an amazing feeling. It’s you against your opponent, I love to see that, and that’s what is captured in karate combat.”
Thompson will team up with the great Georges St-Pierre in the role of sensei for karate combat, an incredibly innovative professional wrestling league showcasing innovative production technology and featuring karate fights in CGI environments. The most recent season consists of four events, culminating in a live broadcast from Orlando, Florida on June 25, which will consist of two world title fights.
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“People want to see the beauty of the sport and they want to see the knockouts, and that’s what they’re going to see in karate combat”, Thompson said. “This is something I would have done if it had existed before the UFC. It is really special. Takedowns are allowed, you get 45 seconds of ground and pound, and then you’re back on your feet. And the production is crazy. It’s a virtual arena and it looks so amazing it’ll make you question if it’s real.”
Thompson will be seated ringside alongside St-Pierre for the karate combat end in June. Their mutual respect and connection dates back more than a decade when Thompson was competing in a kickboxing tournament in Montreal, Canada.
“My opponent that night had GSP on his side,” Thompson said. “Can you believe it? I ended up knocking the guy out in the fifth round, and GSP came over and invited me to be a part of their training camp. I was like, ‘Are you kidding me? Of course.’ He became my inspiration to switch from karate and kickboxing to MMA. He was even in my corner for my first UFC fight in 2012.”
Stephen Thompson will partner Georges St-Pierre in the role of sensei for Karate Combat.
Courtesy of Karate Combat
Now 39, Thompson, who will be known as “Wonderboy” even as an older adult, is coming off back-to-back losses to Gilbert Burns and Belal Muhammad. He currently sits seventh in the division, his next fight will be an important step in re-establishing himself as one of the best welterweights in the UFC.
“After my last fight, I had a problem with my collarbone, I ended up tearing my collarbone cartilage near my sternum and it took me a long time to recover,” Thompson said. “The older you get, the longer it takes to heal, but I feel good and I’m ready to step back.
“For my next opponent, I don’t care who gives me the UFC. I am prepared for anything. The last two fights didn’t go the way I wanted them to. I think people see those fights as the plan to beat me, but I’ve been working on my wrestling and my jiu-jitsu. My weight class is full of fighters, so I work on it every day.
Thompson’s success has been defined by his relentless training regimen. He feels confident going into his next fight and is eager to show that he is still one of his top contenders.
“That people doubt me,” Thompson said. “I’m getting better. My last two fights, I didn’t take any punishment. I just got pinned. With my style, I don’t take a lot of punishment, so there’s a lot left in me. The challenge for me is adjusting to the new guys coming in. But I hope they doubt me. That would be their downfall.”
Kayla Harrison has an unimpressive PFL performance
If Kayla Harrison is fighting to be the best in the world, last Friday she was not a great pillar in pursuit of that goal.
Harrison (13-0) defeated Marina Mokhnatkina in her PFL season opener on Friday. Mokhnatkina is not a household name, nor is she considered one of the sport’s elite; she did however, go the distance with Harrison in their three round lightweight bout. It was a poor performance from Harrison, which she readily admitted in her post-fight interview.
This is not to say that Harrison isn’t great. But until he fights some of the best opponents, there will always be legitimate questions about his success. There is no 155-pound division for women in the UFC, so she would be fighting at 145. Would Harrison break into the top five in the UFC women’s pound-for-pound rankings? What about Mokhnatkina? Would she even be one of the top 15 ranked fighters in the UFC? If Harrison ever goes to the UFC, there’s no guarantee she’ll take anyone in the top five.
Harrison desperately needs a fight against Cris Cyborg. That would be a great opportunity to prove herself against an elite opponent. That fight would not be a certainty for Harrison, who looked slow against Mokhnatkina. Although Cyborg is no longer at her best, she is still an elite fighter. That’s a fight Harrison desperately needs to take another step toward the long climb to becoming the best in the world.
The Pick ‘Em Section:
UFC Fight Night Light Heavyweight Main Event: Jan Blachowicz vs. Aleksandar Rakic
Choose: Jan Blachowicz
UFC Fight Night light heavyweight bout: Ryan Spann vs. Ion Cuțelaba
Choose: ryan spann
UFC women’s flyweight bout: Katlyn Chookagian vs. amanda ribas
Choose: katlyn chookagyan
Bellator 281 interim welterweight title fight: Michael Page vs. logan stormy
Choose: logan stormy
Bellator 281 Light Heavyweight Fight: Luke Trainer vs. simon biyong
Choose: luke coach
In the past week: 4-1
2022 record: 58-26
Plus mixed martial arts Coverage:
Justin Barrasso can be reached at [email protected] Follow him on Twitter @justinbarrasso.
