“So used to being on the main card,” Stephen Thompson finds UFC 307 prelim slot ‘a little weird’ to be in

Welterweight mainstay, Stephen Thompson admits he's disappointed not to fight surging contender Joaquin Buckley on the UFC 307 pay-per-view main card.

“So used to being on the main card,” Stephen Thompson finds UFC 307 prelim slot ‘a little weird’ to be in

Stephen Thompson wanted to be on the UFC 307 main card vs. Joaquin Buckley (Source: IMAGO/X)

Stephen Thompson confesses disappointment at being left off the UFC 307 pay-per-view main card. ‘Wonderboy’ locks horns with rising welterweight sensation Joaquin Buckley. But their spot sits in the featured prelim from Delta Center in Salt Lake City. It was originally to be on the main slot.

Joaquin Buckley and the promotional Karate Kid make the walk at late prelims, airing on ESPNews/ESPN+ Pay-per-view at 8:00 A.M. This spot first came to one Aljamain Sterling, but given that he has been a former bantamweight elite with record reign, there was much backlash. Hence, yet another prelim spot went to Stephen Thompson while Aljo got to the third-last fight on the main card at UFC 307. The Team Upstate Karate fighter pitched in on the matter.

I’m so used to being on the main card, but hey, wherever the UFC puts us, we’re going to go out there and put on a show no matter what…We’re going to show everybody that we deserved to be there…It’s wild…don’t know why they put that on the card, but, you know, it is what it is.

Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson to James Lynch for Bodog Canada (@BodogEuCanada)
YouTube video

UFC 307 main card (pay-per-view, ESPN+) features a star-studded lineup including Jose Aldo, Kayla Harrison, and Kevin Holland. Subsequently, fan fave Alex Pereira makes a third calendar appearance for an LHW title fight. ‘Wonderboy’ bills himself and Buckley as a stylistic enough matchup to be at par with such big names on the list. He is a two-time former title challenger after all. ‘New Mansa’ is also on a four-fight win streak.

FS Video

Sterling has even pulled out of the event, as has his opponent Movsar Evloev, going back to Russia. Yet, ESPN’s homepage lists Thompson vs. Buckley as the last fight on late prelims. The Team Murcielago MMA welterweight has issued some ominous ultimatums about that. Thompson, who hasn’t fought on the prelims since defeating Patrick Cote at UFC 178 in 2014, has been more mild. However, he keeps some lofty aspirations worthy of a main card.

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Stephen Thompson: Would be ‘cool’ to be inducted into the Hall of Fame

A former two-time welterweight title challenger, Thompson (17-7-1 MMA, 12-7-1 UFC) has never won UFC gold. He fought and drew with Tyron Woodley in their first title fight. He then lost a majority decision in their rematch. Names like Yoel Romero, Kenny Florian, Alexander Gustafsson, and even Chael Sonnen have matched up to champs but never won gold. Yet, much like Thompson, they are fave names on the roster. But most consider the 41-year-old to make it to gold someday soon.

Stephen Thompson has big dreams ahead
Stephen Thompson has big dreams ahead (Source: si.com/abtc.ng)

Stephen Thompson’s resume includes finishing former UFC champions, Robert Whittaker and Johny Hendricks. He also has victories over former title contenders Rory MacDonald and Jorge Masvidal. So it’s not for lack of skill or want at all.

I’ve been with them for a very long time and have done the best I can to represent who I am and the UFC. It would be cool to go down in UFC history. It would be cool to be able to do that, to be in the Hall of Fame. I think that would be sick…I’ve been in the top 10 since 2014, 2015, something like that, maybe even before that…I think people are looking at me as that gatekeeper to make it to that top.

Stephen Thompson to UFC reporter Erik Uebelacker for Responsible Gambling (rg.org/news) Exclusive

Thompson is to take on streaking contender Joaquin Buckley at UFC 307 on 5 October. Having previously snapped streaks of Geoff Neal and Vicente Luque, he has no problem taking fights with up-and-coming fighters. A veteran in the game, he just wants a better finality to it all.

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Thompson is still trucking and has no intention of stopping. Matter of fact, he is on the Christmas wishlist for some current and even returning fighters. A win in October and a possible title shot gone right will only propel him forward further.