Wonderboy

UFC: Is Wonderboy – Gamebred 2 the fight to make?

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The UFC‘s welterweight division has some of the best and most recognizable fighters in the sport. Two of those fighters who are massive fan favorites are Jorge Masvidal (35-15) and Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson (16-4-1).

Both of these men have been two of the top welterweights in the UFC for a long time. Also, both men have significant fan followings despite having very different personalities. Ariel Helwani awarded Wonderboy with the NMF title that stands for the “Nicest Mofo”.

Meanwhile, the UFC actually created a BMF title that Masvidal won in his fight with Nate Diaz. These two hold two artificial belts that perfectly exemplifies the type of people and fighters they are.

Another thing that brings these two top welterweights together is their history. Masvidal and Thompson fought each other back in 2017 at UFC 217. That night, Wonderboy was able to pick up the unanimous decision victory.

Since then, both men have had success and stumbled inside the octagon. At this point, both men are coming off losses and they are needing opponents. Wonderboy took the time to call out Masvidal yesterday in the most Wonderboy fashion ever.

Is the UFC going to book the rematch?

Stephen Thompson took to Twitter yesterday and mentioned that Masvidal is a different animal now opposed to when he first fought him. With that in mind, he wants the UFC to run things back between the two men.

This is also a fight that Masvidal has stated that he’s wanted to run back. Both men need an opponent and Masvidal has been trying to get booked for the end of the year. This past weekend, Masvidal said he was targeting either December or January for his UFC return.

Personally, I think it’s a fantastic matchup. I know that originally Masvidal wanted the UFC to book him against Leon Edwards. However, it doesn’t appear that Edwards is interested in taking a fight that’s not for the welterweight title.

With that fight off the table, Masvidal needs an opponent and Wonderboy fits the bill. At this time, there’s no word on if the promotion is leaning in this direction, but I certainly wouldn’t be surprised to see this one booked.

What’s next for Michael Chiesa after UFC 265?

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One of the more highly anticipated fights at UFC 265 was the welterweight contest between Michael Chiesa (18-5) and Vicente Luque (20-8-1). Both men were looking to make the jump into title contention with a win.

Michael Chiesa had struggled for years to make the UFC‘s lightweight limit of 155 pounds. Eventually, Chiesa decided to scrap fighting at 155 and moved up to the welterweight division.

That decision has really paid off for Chiesa. Chiesa started out a perfect 4-0 in the welterweight division which included a five-round win over Neil Magny. Those four straight wins put him in there with Vicente Luque.

At UFC 265, the fight started out extremely well for Chiesa. Chiesa actually was able to land a couple of really good combinations on the feet. However, after Luque buckled his leg with a vicious kick, Chiesa decided to take the fight to the ground.

Chiesa had no troubles taking down Luque. Once they were on the ground, Chiesa was able to get the back of Luque and he started working on a submission. He almost had a rear-naked choke in and after the fight, Luque said the choke was about 80% in.

However, Luque battled through and they ended up in a scramble. Once there, Chiesa left his neck exposed and Luque locked in a d’arce choke. Chiesa fought it, but ultimately tapped and suffered defeat at UFC 265.

What’s next after UFC 265?

This is a really hard loss for Chiesa to swallow. It’s a difficult loss because he had the win right there for the taking and just couldn’t finish the submission. Then leaving his neck exposed ended the fight.

After suffering his first loss in the UFC’s welterweight division, what should be next for Chiesa? Well, Chiesa isn’t going to drop far especially considering him and Luque are both top six welterweights.

I believe the perfect next opponent for Michael Chiesa is Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson (16-5-1). Wonderboy was just in a similar position as Chiesa fighting Luque’s best friend and training partner Gilbert Burns.

Like Chiesa, Thompson fell short, but he’s still in the top six of the UFC’s welterweight division. With both being in such a similar position, it just makes sense to put them together in a fight.

After suffering a setback at UFC 264, what’s next for Wonderboy Thompson?

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This past Saturday in the co-main event of UFC 264, we saw a pivotal matchup in the welterweight division. Two former title challengers battled it out as Gilbert Burns (20-4) took on Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson (16-5-1).

For Wonderboy, this was the first time the UFC was giving him an opponent ranked above him since his title fights with Tyron Woodley. Over the last couple of years, Thompson has had to play the gatekeeper role at 170 pounds.

Wonderboy was being looked at as one of the guys who could potentially give Kamaru Usman problems. Thompson’s unique style and movement make him a tough puzzle for anyone in the UFC‘s welterweight division.

The big question going into this fight would be whether or not Burns could take Wonderboy down. In the first round, Burns was able to. However, in the second round, Wonderboy kept it standing and controlled the range.

Heading into the final round, all three judges at UFC 264 had it even. Wonderboy rocked Burns early and was dominating the standup. However, Burns got the fight to the mat and controlled Wonderboy for the entire second half which gave him the decision win.

What’s next after UFC 264?

This was a really tough loss for Wonderboy Thompson. The fight was right there for him if he could have just stayed on his feet in the third round at UFC 264. The fight looked like it was trending in the right direction before the final takedown.

Now, Wonderboy goes back to the drawing board. It is worth noting that I don’t believe Wonderboy really loses a lot of ground after Saturday night. In fact, in the updated UFC rankings, Wonderboy is still ranked fourth in the division.

To me, the 38 year old still has plenty in the tank and I could still see him getting one more crack at the title in the future under the right circumstances. So, where does he go from here. Well, one potential option would be a rematch with Jorge Masvidal (35-15).

Wonderboy defeated Masvidal and Gamebred has long talked about them fighting again. However, I think the UFC has other plans for Masvidal. If I’m going to pick out a guy who I think is the most realistic and a perfect opponent, I’m going to say Neil Magny (25-8).

Magny has won four out of five and he’s currently ranked eight in the division. He needs a top opponent and Wonderboy is going to need a dance partner. Pair the two up and the winner is right in the mix.

After bouncing back at UFC 264, what’s next for Gilbert Burns?

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This past Saturday in the co-main event of UFC 264 we saw a crucial matchup in the welterweight division. Former title challengers went head-to-head as Gilbert Burns (20-4) took on Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson (16-5-1).

A big question going into UFC 264 is would Gilbert Burns be able to take down Wonderboy. Wonderboy’s striking and unique style was set to give Burns problems on the feet and I figured if the fight stayed at range, Wonderboy would pick up the win.

When the fight was at range, that’s exactly what happened. Wonderboy got the better of the striking, however, he didn’t win the fight. Gilbert Burns did a fantastic job of using his wrestling in the first and third rounds.

While Wonderboy had his moments, Burns was able to take Wonderboy down and hold him there at UFC 264. Burns became the first man to really control Wonderboy in the manner that he did which was incredibly impressive.

There were a lot of boos at UFC 264 and the fight certainly wasn’t sexy for the fans, but it was a big moment for Burns. Burns bounced back from his failed attempt to capture the title and solved one of the most difficult puzzles in the welterweight division.

What’s next after UFC 264?

After the fight was over, Burns took to the microphone to make a callout. There were three names on the mind of Gilbert Burns after his victory on Saturday night. Those three names were Jorge Masvidal (35-15), Nate Diaz (20-13), and Leon Edwards (19-3, 1 NC).

I think it’s a safe assumption that we can throw out Nate Diaz as an option here. With that, I think we’re looking at the UFC potentially booking Burns against either Masvidal or Leon Edwards.

With Burns coming off of a win, it would make the most sense to have him fight Leon Edwards and perhaps pair Wonderboy with Masvidal. However, what could throw a wrench into everything is if the UFC books Masvidal against Leon Edwards which has been discussed internally.

If the promotion goes in that direction, we would then look at the Michael Chiesa (18-4) – Vicente Luque (20-7-1) fight which takes place next month. Luque and Burns are best friends and training partners. If Chiesa wins next month, perhaps Burns takes on Chiesa in a title eliminator. Many options currently out there for Durinho.

Gilbert Burns uses takedowns to defeat Wonderboy at UFC 264

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In the co-main event of UFC 264, we saw a pivotal matchup between top welterweight contenders. Former title challengers Gilbert Burns (19-4) and Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson (16-4-1) went head-to-head as both looked to get another crack at the welterweight strap.

UFC 264 was the first time we’ve seen Gilbert Burns since his failed attempt to capture the title back in February. After a good start, Burns faded and he was ultimately stopped by Kamaru Usman in the third round of their title fight.

That was the first time that Burns had lost at 170 pounds. Prior to that, Burns looked like a buzzsaw in the UFC‘s welterweight division. Burns possesses great speed and power on the feet to go along with his world class jiu jitsu.

Since late 2019, Stephen Thompson has played the role of gatekeeper in the UFC‘s welterweight division. First it was Vicente Luque and then he fought Geoff Neal in December.

Both of those guys looked to be the rising contenders, but Thompson dominated them both. The UFC‘s “NMF” was looking to beat Burns tonight to secure his third shot at the welterweight title.

UFC 264 Recap

Round 1

The UFC 264 co-main event started with a touch of the gloves. Burns takes the center as Wonderboy starts with his wide stance from the outside. Low kick from Wonderboy starts the striking in the opening minute.

Burns tries a blitz, but nothing lands. Wonderboy presses back forward and Burns shoots in for a takedown. Burns gets deep on the attempt, but Wonderboy is defending well. Wonderboy using the fence and a wide base to keep the fight standing.

Good knee to the thigh for Gilbert Burns. Nothing much happening here as the crowd is becoming restless. Burns tries for another double, but Wonderboy keeps it up. However, Burns switches to a single and gets Wonderboy down to the ground.

Burns settles into halfguard as Wonderboy tries to work his way back to the fence. Wonderboy posts against the fence as he’s trying to get up, but Burns is holding strong. Great ground defense from Wonderboy who gets to a knee. Big shots from Gilbert Burns and Wonderboy is up against the fence.

Burns holds Wonderboy against the fence as the crowd starts booing again. They separate and Wonderboy seems to rock Burns at the buzzer. Overall not a ton here in the first round, but it’s 1-0 Burns at UFC 264.

Round 2

Entering the second round at UFC 264 and both fighters look fresh. They touch to start the second and Wonderboy opens with a jab and leg kick. Burns tries for a headkick, but he’s way out of range.

Spinning kick from Wonderboy just misses. A blitz from Wonderboy and he follows it with a stiff jab. Nasty body kick lands for Wonderboy. Side kick from Wonderboy and Burns circles on the outside.

Another side kick from Wonderboy who’s opening up here in the second round. Burns tries to press forward, but he’s so out of range that nothing comes close to landing. Good body kick from Wonderboy lands.

Wonderboy presses forward with a headkick. Spinning headkick lands for Wonderboy and Burns immediately tries to get it back. Tons of pressure from Burns who lands a right hand. Wonderboy re-establishes the range and he lands a good leg kick. 1-2 lands for Wonderboy.

Burns tries for a takedown, but Wonderboy shrugs him off. Wonderboy lands off the break and Burns looks a little frustrated. Burns gets a takedown just at the end of the round and lands some good shots. Close round, but I lean Wonderboy which would make it 1-1 at UFC 264.

Round 3

Heading into the final round at UFC 264 and I think the fight is even, but Burns could be up 2-0. They touch gloves to start the final round and Wonderboy takes the center. Burns is changing levels as he evades a headkick from Wonderboy.

Wonderboy steps forward with a 1-2 that just misses. Massive right hand lands for Wonderboy and Wonderboy lands a headkick. Wonderboy stalking Burns here in the third and it appears that he’s feeling the urgency.

Spinning back kick from Wonderboy drops Burns. Burns fires back and tries desperately to take Wonderboy down. Wonderboy gets backed up to the fence as the crowd erupts in boos. Wonderboy defending well here.

Burns is very heavy on the pressure and he slams Wonderboy to the ground. The crowd begins to boo as Burns just controls Wonderboy from side-control. Burns lands a few shots from the side, but nothing massive.

Wonderboy trying desperately to get to his feet, but nothing is happening. Burns is going to ride out this win and get back on track.

Gilbert Burns def. Stephen Thompson by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

UFC 264 Preview: Gilbert Burns – Stephen Thompson

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Tomorrow night in the co-main event of UFC 264, we will see a pivotal matchup between top welterweight contenders. Former title challengers Gilbert Burns (19-4) and Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson (16-4-1) will go head-to-head as both look to get another crack at the welterweight strap.

UFC 264 will be the first time we’ve seen Gilbert Burns since his failed attempt to capture the title back in February. After a good start, Burns faded and he was ultimately stopped by Kamaru Usman in the third round of their title fight.

That was the first time that Burns had lost at 170 pounds. Prior to that, Burns looked like a buzzsaw in the UFC‘s welterweight division. Burns possesses great speed and power on the feet to go along with his world class jiu jitsu.

He’s going to need every tool he has tomorrow night when he takes on Wonderboy. Since late 2019, Stephen Thompson has played the role of gatekeeper in the UFC‘s welterweight division. First it was Vicente Luque and then he fought Geoff Neal in December.

Both of those guys looked to be the rising contenders, but Thompson dominated them both. The UFC‘s “NMF” will look to defeat Gilbert Burns tomorrow as he will try to secure his third shot at the welterweight title.

UFC 264 Prediction

Heading into UFC 264, Gilbert Burns is very familiar with Wonderboy Thompson. Burns was in the corner of his best friend, Vicente Luque, the night that Luque lost to Thompson. This is a fight that Burns definitely wants to get back for his friend and his team.

That said, it’s not going to be easy. Burns is going to have the speed and power advantage tomorrow night. He’s also going to have a massive advantage on the ground if the fight ever ends up there.

However, I’m not sure it will. I don’t know if Burns has the wrestling ability to get Wonderboy down at UFC 264. I’m betting that he likely won’t and for that reason, I think we are going to primarily see a standup fight.

With both men standing, I really like Wonderboy. When it comes to technique and controlling distance, it doesn’t get much better than Wonderboy. In reality, I’m expecting a very similar fight as the Vicente Luque fight.

You’re going to see Wonderboy extremely lose out there and I think he’s going to have a field day with counter straights. Burns will land his shots, but I see Thompson picking up his third consecutive win at UFC 264.

Prediction: Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson by Unanimous Decision

UFC booking Stephen Thompson – Gilbert Burns

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The UFC is in the process of finalizing a major matchup in the welterweight division. Dana White told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto this evening that Gilbert Burns (19-4) and Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson (16-4-1) have verbally agreed to face each other.

Per White, the matchup will take place at UFC 264. Earlier today, we learned that Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor had both signed on to headline the card on July 10th.

Given the magnitude of this welterweight matchup, it will likely serve as the co-main event on July 10th. Wonderboy has been wanting to fight the elites of the division again and he will get his chance at UFC 264.

Stephen Thompson took on arguably the two scariest young contenders at welterweight in his last two fights in Geoff Neal and Vicente Luque. Wonderboy dominated both of them and completely outclassed them on the feet.

After both of those wins, Wonderboy made it clear that he didn’t want to be the UFC‘s gatekeeper at 170 pounds. He’s been calling for a fight with Leon Edwards, but in my opinion, he’s getting one better in getting a shot at Gilbert Burns.

Potential UFC title eliminator?

After Gilbert Burns moved to the UFC’s welterweight division, he looked like a destroyer. Burns had defeated every fighter who stepped in front of him and that earned him a title shot at UFC 258 against Kamaru Usman.

When the fight started, it looked like Burns was going to have his crowning moment. Burns used his speed and power to drop Usman in the first round. However, after that moment, things went downhill.

Usman was able to regain his composure and ended up dominating the fight. The UFC welterweight champion stopped Burns early in the third round. Since that loss, Burns has been itching to get back into the cage.

This is a fantastic matchup at UFC 254. The welterweight division is in a very unique spot, but this could serve as a potential title eliminator. Either way, whoever wins, is going to be squarely in the discussion for the next crack at the championship.

UFC Matchmaker: Stephen Thompson – Leon Edwards

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The UFC‘s welterweight division is in a very interesting spot at the moment. Just over a week ago, one of the top contenders in the division, Leon Edwards (18-3, 1 NC), made his return. However, the fight ended in a No Contest early in the second round.

After the fight at UFC Vegas 21 was over, Edwards said that he wanted a title shot next. While most of us knew that him getting a title shot was unlikely, Edwards pushed for it. Then we got the news that UFC 261 is being headlined by the rematch between Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal. 

With the title fight booked, it’s now time to try and pair up all of the other top contenders at 170 pounds. Initially, the UFC wanted to pair up Leon Edwards with Colby Covington (16-2). Covington is the top ranked welterweight while Edwards is currently ranked third.

This fight would be a great fight to determine the next challenger for the UFC 261 winner. However, Covington has continued to say that he has no interest in fighting Edwards and wants to wait for the winner of Usman/Masvidal.

In reality, I wouldn’t be surprised if the UFC gives Covington the next shot without him fighting prior. With that, where does that leave Leon Edwards? Well, I think the best fight would be looking at the fifth spot in the rankings and pairing him with Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson (16-4-1).

Will the UFC book Edwards – Wonderboy?

Wonderboy has had to play the role of welterweight gate keeper his last couple of fights. First the UFC gave him Vicente Luque and then they gave him Geoff Neal. Both young and dangerous knockout artists who were being built up as the next top contenders.

However, Wonderboy picked both of them apart. Now, Wonderboy is on the path for another shot at the UFC welterweight title. Wonderboy has been calling for a fight with Leon Edwards and it makes perfect sense to pair these two up now.

In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Wonderboy said that he deserves a title shot more than Edwards. Well, when you consider the competition, it’s hard to argue. This would be a fun and technical matchup that would say a lot about both men.

If Covington won’t take the fight, the UFC should do what they can to book Edwards – Wonderboy.

After falling short at UFC 258, what’s next for Gilbert Burns?

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This past Saturday at UFC 258, Gilbert Burns (19-4) finally got his shot at Kamaru Usman (18-1). Burns was originally supposed to fight for the title back in July of last year, but a positive COVID test prevented the fight from happening.

Then, the two were supposed to fight at UFC 256 in December. However, Usman needed more time to recover after sustaining injuries in his last fight. The two finally got their chance to see who was better at UFC 258.

The fight couldn’t have started better for Gilbert Burns. Burns’ speed was blistering and he hurt Usman bad in the opening exchanges. However, Burns got overzealous in going for the kill and it seemed to drain him a bit.

After Burns couldn’t put the champion away, he appeared to be fatigued from an adrenaline dump. Usman started to go to work after that point. With a piston-like jab, Usman started beating up the challenger in the second round.

Between the second and third rounds at UFC 258, Burns was dropped three times before the referee called a stop to the action. Burns was extremely emotional in the octagon after the crushing loss. So after falling short on Saturday, what’s next for Gilbert Burns?

What’s next after UFC 258?

Everything in the UFC’s welterweight division has seemingly turned on it’s head. A week ago, the promotion had Khamzat Chimaev – Leon Edwards booked and they were working on Jorge Masvidal – Colby Covington for The Ultimate Fighter.

However, after the Chimaev – Edwards fight fell through, Dana White said that the UFC is looking at booking Covington – Edwards. With that, it appears that Jorge Masvidal (35-14) is going to get the next title shot after Kamaru Usman called him out on Saturday. 

With knowing these new directions, where does that leave Gilbert Burns? Well, if Colby Covington (16-2) and Leon Edwards (18-3) do fight in March, Burns could take on the loser in his next fight. Perhaps even the winner depending on how the title fight timeline shakes up.

A couple of additional options would be a fight with Michael Chiesa (18-4) or Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson (16-4-1). Those are the opponents that make the most sense for Burns. Gilbert Burns isn’t going away and he’s perhaps only just a win or two away from getting another title shot.

What’s next Michael Chiesa after UFC Fight Island 8?

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Yesterday, Michael Chiesa (18-4) remained unbeaten at welterweight. In the main event of UFC Fight Island 8, Chiesa took on Neil Magny (24-8). Magny entered the contest on a three-fight win streak after a sensational 2020.

Both men ranked just inside the top ten of the UFC‘s welterweight division. Whoever won this fight was poised to make a run at a top five opponent in their next one. Originally, I thought Magny would have the advantage in a decision fight.

Magny has five-round experience while Chiesa has never gone past the third round. Combine that with the fact that Magny had an active 2020 while Chiesa recovered from injuries and I thought this was going to be Magny’s fight.

I was wrong about that one. At UFC Fight Island 8, Michael Chiesa delivered a fantastic performance that saw him win four of the five rounds on all three judges scorecards. Chiesa looked incredibly in the UFC main event yesterday.

I was really impressed with his ability to land shots on Magny while closing the distance. In addition to that, Chiesa also did a number on Magny in dominating the grappling exchanges. Michael Chiesa made a statement with his win and his callout yesterday after the fight.

What’s next after UFC Fight Island 8?

In his post-fight interview, Chiesa made a big callout of Colby Covington (16-2). The former interim UFC welterweight champion currently doesn’t have a fight lined up and Chiesa made it clear that he wants that fight.

Unfortunately for him, I don’t believe he’s getting that fight. The UFC has made it very clear that they are trying to book Covington against his rival and former friend, Jorge Masvidal (35-14).

With Covington not an option, the UFC has a couple of options in my opinion. In a few weeks, Kamaru Usman (17-1) is defending his welterweight title against Gilbert Burns (19-3). Depending on how that fight goes, I could see the promotion giving Chiesa the loser of that fight.

Another option could be Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson (16-4-1). Wonderboy also doesn’t have a fight, but he’s dealing with some injuries and his timetable for a return is uncertain. Should he be able to go relatively soon, that would be another fun matchup for Chiesa.