Stephen Thompson Says Title Fight Will Happen
Stephen Thompson Says Title Fight Will Happen
UFC fan Q&A sessions are hit and miss at the best of times, but last evening's UFC On Fox 21 Carlos Condit vs Demian Meia fan Q&A provided some interesting
UFC fan Q&A sessions are hit and miss at the best of times, but last evening's UFC On Fox 21 Carlos Condit vs Demian Meia fan Q&A provided some interesting soundbites.
The fighters who spared 45 minutes of their time for the fans last evening were the No. 1 ranked UFC welterweight Stephen Thompson, middleweight Elias Theodorou and former flyweight title contender Joseph Benavidez.
All three were asked some bizarre and humorous questions, but there were times when the talk got serious. One of these moments came when Thompson was asked to share his thoughts about the growing trend of UFC champions asking for money fights instead of facing the true number one contenders in their weight classes.
This, of course, is a sensitive situation for Thompson given he is facing this exact predicament with Tyron Woodley. Thompson didn't hold back when giving his answer.
"The way the UFC is going, some of these fighters are looking for these money fights," Thompson said. "But, those champions who just got the belt and literally had the belt on for 30 seconds, and who are asking for one...well that's very disappointing. I don't know if you saw it on Fox Sports 1 when I very respectfully called him [Woodley] out? I did not expect him to say no I want a money fight after just putting the belt on.
"You know, defend the title a few times--that's how I look at it. That's what Robbie Lawler did, and that's what the champions did before him, and before they started asking for money fights. I just wanted to say that's the way it goes. I mean, Tyron was preaching the other way around when he didn't get his shot, and now he's got the title, for him to do that to me is hypocritical. But, It is what it is, it's going to happen, it's definitely going to happen."
Two other men in the running for a shot at Woodley are the two combatants in tonight's UFC On Fox 21 main event, Demian Maia and Carlos Condit.
"I've thought about that and yeah, Condit has been on top before I was even in the UFC and Demian Maia has been in the game longer than I have as well. So if it doesn't happen who else do I fight?" Thompson said. "That's one of the reasons why I am here because I want to get up close and personal and see the fights going on tomorrow and the main event. I'd throw down with either one of them."
When asked who he thought would win the main event between Condit and Maia, Thompson seemed to have learned a lesson from a previous time when he caused a situation after picking Lawler to beat Woodley. This time around, Thompson put over both men's abilities and left it up to Benavidez and Theodorou to pick a winner.
"Man I dunno, I know Carlos Condit has all the tools to keep Demian Maia at bay, but Demian Maia is the best at what he does and he's one of the best MMA grapplers in the sport," Thompson said. "I know [Maia] is going to be ready for it, but at the top of the game it's so hard to pick someone who's going to win."
The fighters who spared 45 minutes of their time for the fans last evening were the No. 1 ranked UFC welterweight Stephen Thompson, middleweight Elias Theodorou and former flyweight title contender Joseph Benavidez.
All three were asked some bizarre and humorous questions, but there were times when the talk got serious. One of these moments came when Thompson was asked to share his thoughts about the growing trend of UFC champions asking for money fights instead of facing the true number one contenders in their weight classes.
This, of course, is a sensitive situation for Thompson given he is facing this exact predicament with Tyron Woodley. Thompson didn't hold back when giving his answer.
"The way the UFC is going, some of these fighters are looking for these money fights," Thompson said. "But, those champions who just got the belt and literally had the belt on for 30 seconds, and who are asking for one...well that's very disappointing. I don't know if you saw it on Fox Sports 1 when I very respectfully called him [Woodley] out? I did not expect him to say no I want a money fight after just putting the belt on.
"You know, defend the title a few times--that's how I look at it. That's what Robbie Lawler did, and that's what the champions did before him, and before they started asking for money fights. I just wanted to say that's the way it goes. I mean, Tyron was preaching the other way around when he didn't get his shot, and now he's got the title, for him to do that to me is hypocritical. But, It is what it is, it's going to happen, it's definitely going to happen."
Two other men in the running for a shot at Woodley are the two combatants in tonight's UFC On Fox 21 main event, Demian Maia and Carlos Condit.
"I've thought about that and yeah, Condit has been on top before I was even in the UFC and Demian Maia has been in the game longer than I have as well. So if it doesn't happen who else do I fight?" Thompson said. "That's one of the reasons why I am here because I want to get up close and personal and see the fights going on tomorrow and the main event. I'd throw down with either one of them."
When asked who he thought would win the main event between Condit and Maia, Thompson seemed to have learned a lesson from a previous time when he caused a situation after picking Lawler to beat Woodley. This time around, Thompson put over both men's abilities and left it up to Benavidez and Theodorou to pick a winner.
"Man I dunno, I know Carlos Condit has all the tools to keep Demian Maia at bay, but Demian Maia is the best at what he does and he's one of the best MMA grapplers in the sport," Thompson said. "I know [Maia] is going to be ready for it, but at the top of the game it's so hard to pick someone who's going to win."