Stephen Thompson has finally broken his silence following his gritty performance at UFC Nashville. The veteran welterweight, who squared off against Gabriel Bonfim in the co-main event, didn’t get the win, but he didn’t walk away quietly either.
Thompson returned to the Octagon at the Bridgestone Arena in Tennessee, where he showed flashes of his vintage self. He defended takedowns with ease and struck cleanly, staying composed under pressure. Even with the judges awarding a split decision to Bonfim—a result many fans and analysts questioned—Thompson remained gracious in defeat.
“Nashville you are amazing! To my fans, I love y’all!! Thank you for your love and support always. Pops, thank you for always being in my corner, love you! To my team back home, thank you for all of your help for this fight camp. I felt great out there. Thank you to my team @ParadigmSports for always taking care of me! Also, shout to the @ufc Docs for stitching me up! Shin is split to the bone so time to focus on healing up!”
The shin injury, sustained during a checked leg kick in the second round, turned out to be worse than expected. The bone-deep gash bled through the remainder of the fight. Still, moments after the injury, Thompson landed a head kick using the same damaged leg, briefly stunning Bonfim. It wasn’t enough to change the outcome, but it showed why
“Wonderboy” is still one of the most respected strikers in the game.
Thompson, now 42 and the oldest active fighter on the UFC roster, has lost three straight—most recently to Bonfim, Shavkat Rakhmonov, and Joaquin Buckley. Despite the setbacks, he remains a dangerous name in the division. Against Buckley, he pushed the rising star to the brink before getting stopped in the third round at UFC 307 last October. Rakhmonov, undefeated and relentless, managed to submit Thompson in their meeting before that.
He kept things lighthearted in a short post-fight video on instagram, saying, “Well, got to get back, heal my shin up, maybe do some more shin conditioning, but love you guys.”
Thompson’s future remains uncertain, but the end doesn’t appear too far off. He confirmed he has one fight left on his current UFC contract.
