Stephen Thompson

At a glance

• UFC welterweight who went undefeated in kickboxing over 37 amateur and 20 pro fights.
• Two UFC title fights against Tyron Woodley, in 2016 and 2017.
• YouTube channel with fight breakdowns, picks, technique videos and vlogs.

Overview

Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson was born in 1983 in Simpsonville, South Carolina. He started Kempo karate at age 3 at the school run by his father, Ray Thompson, a former pro kickboxer. In kickboxing, he went undefeated across 37 amateur and 20 professional bouts.

At welterweight in the UFC, he fought Tyron Woodley twice for the title: a majority draw at UFC 205 in 2016, then a majority decision loss at UFC 209 in 2017. He owns wins over Johny Hendricks, Robert Whittaker, Jorge Masvidal and Rory MacDonald. His record stands at 17-9-1, and his retirement fight is scheduled against Charles Radtke at UFC 334 on November 14, 2026.

What you'll find

His official channel posts previews and picks for upcoming fights, such as Jack Della Maddalena against Islam Makhachev at UFC 322, Charles Oliveira against Max Holloway at UFC 326 and Sean O'Malley against Song Yadong at UFC 324.

He adds reaction videos on fighters he is discovering, like Asadula Imangazaliev or Japanese Muay Thai fighter Nadaka Yoshinari, technique videos on combinations, boxing sessions and vlogs from his life outside the cage, including the day he bought his dream car. He is also active on Instagram and X.

Why follow

Thompson is regarded as one of the most accomplished strikers in UFC history, and his wide karate stance with low hands is still rare in MMA. When he breaks down a fight, he reads it as an elite fighter who is still competing.

He is also known around the sport as one of its most respectful fighters, and his analysis stays calm and free of trash talk. It is a good way to learn about distance, feints and footwork from someone who built a career on them.

MMA Official's take

Thompson's channel is for strikers and fans who want technical analysis in English, in short and easy videos.

Start with his preview video before a big UFC card, then watch his combination videos and take them to the gym. To see his style at work, go back to his 2014 win over Robert Whittaker, then follow his build to UFC 334, his last fight before retirement.