Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight title contender Stephen Thompson has not seen action since last November, and when mixed martial arts (MMA) is how you pay the bills, there is only a finite amount of time you can last between fights.
That’s why “Wonderboy” is breaking character to call someone out using his social media account, which according to the former kickboxer, is the first time in his combat sports career that he’s ever had to resort to that all-too frequent tactic.
The former UFC welterweight title challenger posted on Twitter on Tuesday to call out top contender Leon Edwards. If the callout comes as a surprise, it’s because earlier this month, Thompson (15-4-1 MMA, 10-4-1 UFC) said he wasn’t interested in fighting the Englishman.
Stephen Thompson is one of the veteran welterweight fighters in the UFC and takes a keen interest in the fighters sitting above him in the rankings. But despite names like Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal, he opines that Leon Edwards is the most deserving of a title shot. This is because he sees ‘Rocky’ as someone who can beat fighters at their own game.
Stephen Thompson vs Leon Edwards
A fighter known for his respect toward opponents, Thompson issued what he said was the first callout of his UFC career – and he did it in “Wonderboy” style.
“All due respect @Leon_edwardsmma, which I have a lot of for you, I have been saying I would like to fight you for a while now!” Thompson posted. “It makes sense and would be a great match up. I think that was my first Twitter call out ever. man that felt weird. #FirstTimeForEverything.”
All due respect @Leon_edwardsmma , which I have a lot of for you, I have been saying I would like to fight you for a while now! It makes sense and would be a great match up.
I think that was my first Twitter call out ever. man that felt weird. 🤣😂 #FirstTimeForEverything
— Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson (@WonderboyMMA) September 22, 2020
Edwards (18-3) has now captured eight straight wins and holds the No. 3 spot in the official welterweight rankings. The British fighter is considered among the top talents at 170 pounds, but has had issues getting booked with big-name opposition. Edwards hasn’t fought in more than a year. His most recent fight was in July 2019, when he beat Rafael dos Anjos. Thompson (15-4-1), meanwhile, has not won back-to-back fights in over four years and slipped to No. 7 at 170 pounds.
This is a match that could be seen as an option, as ‘Wonder Boy’ is sixth in the division and doesn’t have a fight scheduled. It will allow Leon Edwards to face the highest-ranked available opponent and get a fight under his belt in 2020.
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