Home Articles Stephen Thompson calls out UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman

Stephen Thompson calls out UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman

UFC welterweight contender Stephen Thompson has called out current UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman.

Stephen Thompson is coming off of a dominant performance over Geoff Neal at UFC Vegas 19 last December. In that fight, Thompson showed off his superior striking prowess.

On the other hand, UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman is coming off of a third-round TKO victory over top contender Gilbert Burns at UFC 258 earlier this month. Following his win at UFC 258, Kamaru Usman called out his former opponent Jorge Masvidal for a rematch.

The pair previously fought at UFC 251 last July. In that fight, Kamaru Usman defeated Masvidal via unanimous decision. But Masvidal has also been gunning for a rematch as he accepted the fight on six-days notice.

However, Stephen Thompson says that Kamaru Usman should fight him as the champion has defeated pretty much everyone in the division.

For one, his last fight was [against] you, so it just doesn’t make sense to fight him again,” Stephen Thompson said. “He clearly lost. I know it was short notice, but I just think that Kamaru Usman knows. It’s smart for him, he knows he can beat him for a high pay, it’s a big name, there is beef there so it makes sense on his part. As a fan and as a fighter, and as someone who has been at the top of the game and trying to get title fights, it doesn’t make sense for that to happen.

Fight somebody you haven’t fought yet. You beat pretty much everybody except me in the top-five. That’s it. Of course, you’ve got Michael Chiesa who is No. 6, he hasn’t fought Michael Chiesa either. But keep on going down the line. You beat everyone up here, who’s next? It’s this guy.

C’mon Usman! C’mon, man. Fight somebody you haven’t fought yet.” Stephen Thompson said.

Stephen Thompson urges UFC to make the fight with Kamaru Usman

While Kamaru Usman definitely called out Masvidal after his fight at UFC 258, he also tweeted that he was willing to take on anybody in the division.

It was super cool to actually see Usman say that anybody can get it,” Thompson explained. “That leads me to believe that I have a possibility to make this thing happen.

If the fans love it, the UFC likes to get behind it. As of right now, I see a lot of people saying I should get the next title shot, that I should be next for Usman. But you never know, so I’m staying in shape, I’m working out, gotta get this hand checked out and hopefully we can make this thing happen. I think it would be an awesome fight and Usman even said that his toughest fight would be with someone like me where it would be hard to prepare for, a difficult read, I’m the third best in the division with takedown defense so I think it would be a fun fight.

“And that’s why I want it because it would be a great fight. Obviously it would be great to fight for the title again, but I like Usman. I think he’s a great guy, good champion and it’s the time to really test my ability at that level who is the best.” Thompson concluded. (H/T – MMAFighting.com)

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