UFC veteran Stephen Thompson has been out of the cage since his fight against Shavkat Rakhmonov in December. However, the fighter hopes to make a comeback and earn UFC gold at the UFC 307.
Despite being 41 years old, Thompson has no plan to retire. He is set to return to the cage next month in Salt Lake City. The fighter will be battling Joaquin Buckley, who has had four straight wins before dropping to welterweight.
During an interview with InsideFighting, Thompson spoke about his return and hopes of reigniting a late-career title shot. He also debunked the idea that his age may hinder his career advancement.
“I’m still one of those guys who gives those guys who are coming up a chance.” Stephen Thompson stated to Inside Fighting. “There’s a lot of guys at the top, especially in the welterweight division, that are trying to hold on to their spot as long as they can. But I was given an opportunity when I was coming up… I want to give that back to these guys that are up-and-coming who want to try and take that spot.”
He continued, “For me, it’s my test. It’s my test to see if I’ve still got it against these young bucks. Everybody’s looking at me as the old guy. I’m 42, and I’ll be 42 in February. But, I feel like I’m 25. I’m just as fast, and I’m still getting better. I don’t mind stepping out and giving these guys that are up-and-coming the chance to prove themselves.”
Hopefully, Thompson will get a shot at the title before his career ends.
