Last fight
UFC 296
Win
Rakhmonov vs Thompson
Dec. 16, 2023
UFC Spotlight
Stats & Records
8
Wins by Knockout
1
Wins by Submission
5
First Round Finishes
Significant Strikes include all strikes at distance, plus power strikes in the clinch and on the ground.
Striking accuracy
- Sig. Strikes Landed
- 1202
- Sig. Strikes Attempted
- 2612
A takedown is awarded when a fighter deliberately grapples an opponent to the ground and establishes an advantageous position for an appreciable amount of time.
Takedown Accuracy
- Takedowns Landed
- 5
- Takedowns Attempted
- 12
- Sig. Str. Defense is the percentage of significant strikes attempted against a fighter that do not land.
- Takedown defense is the percentage of takedowns attempted against a fighter that do not land.
- Knockdown Avg. is the average number of knockdowns per 15 Minutes window.
Sig. Str. by target
athlete record
Info
Status
Active
Place of Birth
Greenville, United States
Trains at
Upstate Karate Family Martial Arts Center
Fighting style
Karate
Age
41
Height
72.00
Weight
171.00
Octagon Debut
Feb. 4, 2012
Reach
75.00
Leg reach
42.00
- MMA Pro since 2010
- Eight wins by KO, one by submission (RNC)
- Owns a combined 57-0 kickboxing record, which includes over 40 KOs
- Brother-in-laws are Carlos Machado and Chris Weidman
- Has trained with Anderson Silva, Weidman, Georges St-Pierre, Rashad Evans, Nate Marquardt, and Keith Jardine
- Has 11-6-1 record in his last 18 fights; has won three of his last six
- Five first round finishes
- Origin of nickname: “It came when I was 15. I fought a guy that was in his early to mid twenties and held a couple state kickboxing titles. He was undefeated also. I put a beating on him that totally baffled people, as it was my first fight. My dad threw my in DEEP. He wanted to see if this was what I REALLY wanted to do. After the fight the guy I beat was totally demoralized that he got essentially spanked by a 15-year-old in his first fight and made the comment "I wonder why I got in the ring with that boy." So the commentator heard this and called me Wonderboy. Also when I was a younger kid I'd sing and dance and my sister’s then boyfriend would call me Stevie Wonder so somehow all this turned into Wonderboy. Yeah, kinda crazy.”
UFC 296 (12/16/23) Thompson was submitted by Shavkat Rakhmonov via rear naked choke at 4:56 of the second round
UFC on ESPN (12/3/22) Thompson defeated Kevin Holland via TKO (doctor stoppage) at 5:00 of the fourth round
UFC Fight Night (12/18/21) Thompson lost a three-round unanimous decision to Belal Muhammad
UFC 264 (7/10/21) Thompson lost a three-round unanimous decision to Gilbert Burns
UFC Fight Night (12/19/20) Thompson won a five-round unanimous decision over Geoff Neal
UFC 244 (11/2/19) Thompson won a three-round unanimous decision over Vicente Luque
UFC Fight Night (3/23/19) Thompson was knocked out by Anthony Pettis at 4:55 of the second round
UFC Fight Night (5/27/18) Thompson lost a five-round unanimous decision to Darren Till
UFC 217 (11/4/17) Thompson won a three round unanimous decision over Jorge Masvidal
UFC 209 (3/4/17) Thompson lost a five round majority decision to Tyron Woodley in a fight for the UFC welterweight title
UFC 205 (11/12/16) Thompson fought to a five round draw with Tyron Woodley in a fight for the UFC welterweight title
UFC Fight Night (6/18/16) Thompson won a five round unanimous decision over Rory MacDonald
UFC Fight Night (2/6/16) Thompson stopped Johny Hendricks via strikes at 3:31 of the first round
TUF 21 Finale (7/12/15) Thompson knocked out Jake Ellenberger at 4:29 of the first round
UFC 178 (9/27/14) Thompson won a three round unanimous decision over Patrick Cote
UFC 170 (2/22/14) Thompson stopped Robert Whittaker via strikes at 3:43 of the first round
UFC 165 (9/21/13) Thompson stopped Chris Clements via strikes at 1:27 of the second round
UFC 160 (5/25/13) Thompson won a three round unanimous decision over Nah-Shon Burrell
UFC 145 (4/21/12) Thompson lost a three round unanimous decision to Matt Brown
UFC 143 (2/4/12) Thompson knocked out Dan Stittgen at 4:13 of the first round.
When and why did you start training for fighting? When I was three years old. My father was a professional fighter and owned a Karate school. All the kids in our family started training at age three.
What ranks and titles have you held? Five-time world champion kickboxer. I hold a 5th degree black belt in Tetsushin Ryu Kempo Karate, a 1st degree in Tetsushin Ryu Jujitsu and a Purple belt in RCJ Machado Jiu-jitsu.
What does it mean for you to fight in the UFC? I want to fight the best in the world and I want to be a champion, so being the in the UFC is a dream come true.
What was your job before you started fighting? I've worked at my family's karate academy, doing everything from cleaning bathrooms to what I do now as the head kids’ instructor.
Specific accomplishments in amateur competition? 37-0, 16 amateur kickboxing titles:
- 1999 ISKA Georgia State Middleweight Amateur Champion
- 2000 ISKA Southeast Middleweight Amateur Champion
- 2000 IKF East Coast Middleweight Amateur Champion
- 2000 PKC National Light Middleweight Amateur Champion
- 2000 IKF National Middleweight Amateur Champion
- 2000 USAKBF North American Middleweight Amateur Champion
- 2001 IKF National Light Heavyweight Amateur Champion
- 2001 PKC National Light Heavyweight Amateur Champion
- 2001 USAKBF World Light Heavyweight Amateur Champion
- 2001 WPKA World Light Heavyweight Amateur Champion
- 2002 IKF National Light Heavyweight Amateur Champion
- 2002 IKF North American Light Cruiserweight Amateur Champion
- 2003 U.S. National Martial Arts Team World Cup Light Heavyweight Champion
- 2003 KICK North American Cruiserweight Champion
- 2003 I.A.K.S.A. World Champion
- 2003 IKF FCR Amateur Light Cruiserweight World Champion
Specific accomplishments in pro competition? Undefeated - competed in the Chuck Norris World Combat League
Favorite grappling technique: RNC
Favorite Striking technique: Spinning Backfist
