@@scladoffle2472 they’ll let anyone go. The point of keeping a fighter under contract after they retire, is so that they can’t go fight for another promotion
@@thiner6649thousands upon thousands of hours of throwing the same strikes over and over. This level of talent is not easily achieved that's for sure.
While I love Stephen he is not a goat in MMa and while you could argue that in kickboxing it is another conversation. Even he himself agrees, that words thrown too loosely. Regardless I'm rooting for him tonight
The most weirdest,unpredictable & intricate footwork in all of combat sport...He throws kicks from angles even experts wouldn't deem possible.. Truly once in A Generation Talent
at 170 where Robert was very young and can handle a lot of weight cut. I'm not saying it's an excuse, Wonderboy looks fantastic that night and we all know that Robert performs better at 185.
@@eetfuk3571 That said, Robert looked good in that fight, and I mean physically. He looked filled and not drained. I think he just ended in wrong matchup with Wonderboy who is unorthodox striker.
@@Tenchigumi Arguably the best striker in UFC as of right now. He's simply just very unpredictable when it comes to strikes. It's unfortunate he was never a champion due to him constantly ignoring ground game
Surgical accuracy with those kicks, its damn near a jab for him. So fast too. Karate is a very underrated art nowadays because of McDojos, and although it can't be used on its own in MMA, there is no doubt in my mind that an experienced karateka has a unique skillset as a fighter that not many others do
I mean there’s guys that have been enormously successfully with a karate base like Bas Rutten. Unfortunately where I live it’s the Muay Thai gyms that have a reputation of actually preparing you for physical altercations
The only guy at Ufc who doesnt look his age.. From the time he made his debut, till now he looks 24.. Like he got younger and younger as time goes by.. Man definitely has a different blood-type DNA! And one of if not the best foot striker to ever brace the Octagon! Simply phenomenal moves!
@@elijahbaines7101 wasn't glass chin, not just enough experience on big fights against top level opponents. he was facing Wonderboy who's a very seasoned striker.
@@hadenbaillie1833 he put a lot of people on notice, no one wanted to fight him after a couple tkos crazy thinking how long hes been fighting and still seems elite, hope he does well but holland is a problem!
@@jonjetmore4018 i know, but still being one of 2 people who finished whittaker via strikes, and the future champ sure would age well on anyone's record
1:05 that’s the most beautiful and honest example of sportsmanship I’ve ever seen in the UFC. 💯 genuine Wonder boy is like… you good? Okay, I’m gonna light you up now!
that front leg roundhouse is awesome as a karate guy we train that too, its highly affective, hits them through a blind spot and scores us 3 points in sparring too!!!
@@barbarapaparella1833 So? How many people knocked out Robert? Lol. Robert is the same fighter, it is just that the 185 division has no real strikers ,lol
@@Dare-Knight lol. I think just Izzy knocked him out at MW. Same fighter. He fought Muderers row . Beat Yowl twice, Souza, Brunson, Till, Vitoria, Kelvin, and more I'm missing. Second Izzy fight was very close as well.
I love how Wonderboy stops to check on Hendricks after he thinks he kicked him with a low blow, as soon as Hendricks nods his head like he’s ok, he commences to kicking the rest of his ass! 😂
When I was around 6 my parents enrolled me in Upstate Karate in Simpsonville SC. One of the instructors was Stephen Thompson, he taught a lot of my classes and even pulled out two of my baby teeth 😂. He’s a good dude and a really talented fighter
I only wish he came to the UFC in his early 30s instead of later! He was a multiple champion in kickboxing and came to MMA kind of late but still in his young 40s is a wonder to behold!
I love the story of how he got the nickname "Wonderboy". Hes been one of my favorite fighters since he joined the ufc. If he had developed a competent wrestling ability early on he would have been the successor to GSP. I actually think wonderboy has better technique than gsp with striking but at the same time its not apples to apples with their techniques but as an overall fighter gsp is more well rounded. Regardless, what a great career and all around great guy. Props.
@@dab0331 oh yeah point karate is definitely effective. Im just sayin he probably also learned a lot from kickboxing. The thing about point karate is people say there's no power behind the strikes but they're holding back. If they can do it at 10%, they can do it at 100%
@@ajax3748 I think every striking art has its benefits depending on the scenario and range. Karate is great for open range, kickboxing for medium range, and boxing for when you're in a claustrophobic setting or when you get rocked and your back is against a wall.
Not just one of the greatest strikers ever but probably the best celebration move in UFC history too
indeed, factual.
no doubt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yeah it was slick
Spoilers for most recent fight.
Ok but did you guys see Matheus Nicolau's celebration after the TKO? Samurai Execution.
He's gonna do a super hero landing......
This video could easily be 20 minutes longer, Wonderboy is such a talent!
i’m actually kinda disappointed it’s not a 20 min video…
Til he has to wrestle lmao
@@josh._.wrld999 his wrestling is actually good,he stuffs a lot of TDs over his career he’s just not Belal or Gilbert good.
@@Sparruh9 thats why all wrestlers he faught he lost lol
@@josh._.wrld999 Johnny Hendricks?
Truly beautiful striking! Wonderboy will be missed when he retires.
Didn’t he sign a five fight contract?
@@scladoffle2472 they’ll let anyone go. The point of keeping a fighter under contract after they retire, is so that they can’t go fight for another promotion
At the young age of 60 at this rate!
He is such a nice guy
You can't hate him
He ain’t retiring anytime soon.
Wonderboy is so accurate... holy damn. That delayed, blind head kick is crazy. You honestly don't see it until it's too late.
it's called a question mark kick and its quite a remarkable move
How is he so efficient
@@thiner6649thousands upon thousands of hours of throwing the same strikes over and over. This level of talent is not easily achieved that's for sure.
It’s amazing he gets enough force with that type of kick to completely knock the guys head off lol
@@malachirichtmyre4114that wasn't a question mark kick, he went straight for the head with no feint or twisting involved.
He may not be the GOAT of MMA but he is the GOAT of excitement in the Octagon. Future HOF
GOAT of class in MMA too.
He is the goat in my eyes. Striking wise very few comes near.
Not of excitement lol. That would go to someone like Gaethje or Chandler. Or even Tony or Eddie Alvarez.
@@thep4pgoatThose are the Goats of CTE
9
His stand up is phenomenal, such variety and skill in his technique he is honestly the real respectable goat
While I love Stephen he is not a goat in MMa and while you could argue that in kickboxing it is another conversation. Even he himself agrees, that words thrown too loosely. Regardless I'm rooting for him tonight
GOAT? so is DC a joke to you?
@@poatan6304 what do you think respectable means?
Not a ufc goat but definitely one of the kickboxing goats. Bro is like 59-0 in kickboxing matches
@@jonoc5 DC is respectable
The most weirdest,unpredictable & intricate footwork in all of combat sport...He throws kicks from angles even experts wouldn't deem possible..
Truly once in A Generation Talent
Yea no
Kick boxers are built different
Not really. He has a Karate Stance, his kicks work around that stance set. Pretty standard..
Dominick Cruz is punching air
Hahahaha dude Wonderboy is great but this comment makes no sense
Damn I didn't even know he KO'd Bobby. Really one of the best strikers.
at 170 where Robert was very young and can handle a lot of weight cut. I'm not saying it's an excuse, Wonderboy looks fantastic that night and we all know that Robert performs better at 185.
Man I didn't know either! Fucking love Wonderboy!
I knew it and watched it but for some reason that finish always slips my mind. It needs more respect.
@@eetfuk3571 That said, Robert looked good in that fight, and I mean physically. He looked filled and not drained. I think he just ended in wrong matchup with Wonderboy who is unorthodox striker.
Wonderboy's fighting style is far more entertaining than Bobby's. Even if I respect absolutely Whittaker's accomplishments.
When wonder boys on he always looks unstoppable. Hands down one of the top 5 strikers of all time
*the best striker
Arguably the best pure striker in UFC welterweight history.
@@Tenchigumi Arguably the best striker in UFC as of right now. He's simply just very unpredictable when it comes to strikes. It's unfortunate he was never a champion due to him constantly ignoring ground game
Best striker by far.
Top5? Haha he''s without a doubt the best. It's either him or Adesanya
Surgical accuracy with those kicks, its damn near a jab for him. So fast too. Karate is a very underrated art nowadays because of McDojos, and although it can't be used on its own in MMA, there is no doubt in my mind that an experienced karateka has a unique skillset as a fighter that not many others do
I mean there’s guys that have been enormously successfully with a karate base like Bas Rutten.
Unfortunately where I live it’s the Muay Thai gyms that have a reputation of actually preparing you for physical altercations
Machida
And the legend himself GSP
Had Kyokushin as his base
The only guy at Ufc who doesnt look his age..
From the time he made his debut,
till now he looks 24..
Like he got younger and younger as time goes by..
Man definitely has a different blood-type DNA!
And one of if not the best foot striker to ever brace the Octagon!
Simply phenomenal moves!
Just got into ufc and as soon a I saw his age I couldn’t believe it 😂😂
@@NoOneYouWillKnowBrother, the UFC is the name of the promotion. The sport is called MMA lol
@@SouthernHavocso he just got into the promotion. The grammar checks out
@@thomasthellamas9886deadass lol
Lead leg side kick to the face of Johnny. So sick man.
And the one to the body to set it up. Imagine taking one of them to the gut every time you stepped in range
He must have thought someone in the audience threw a brick. 🤕
Awesome. The one to the body was even more brutal too
That Whittaker KO is something to be proud of. I didn’t even realize he had that win on his record
Yeah, but keep in mind that whittaker had a glass chin at 170
Me neither!!! Big surprise to me
@@elijahbaines7101 wasn't glass chin, not just enough experience on big fights against top level opponents. he was facing Wonderboy who's a very seasoned striker.
@@elijahbaines7101 Stop making excuses for whitaker's glass chin
And they say Whittaker could take Alex😂😂😂
That Hendricks fight he was so outclassed just a flawless performance from wonderboy
i think that was about the time usada took over, hendricks never looked the same
@@robertreynolds930 yeh u could see Hendricks was not the same,still tho..that front kick jab
Hendricks has no idea what to do in that fight.
@@hadenbaillie1833 he put a lot of people on notice, no one wanted to fight him after a couple tkos crazy thinking how long hes been fighting and still seems elite, hope he does well but holland is a problem!
@@Richard_dicky_Johnson i dont think anyone gave wonderboy the respect, probably thought they'd grapple or take him down🤣
One of my all time favorite fighters 🥇🥊
what a legend already. i wish he'd gotten hold of a belt.
humble, helps the kids in his community and a gentleman out of the octagon
His striking and defense, counters can be SO Beautiful.
His win over whittaker aged very well
It did for sure but Whittaker at 170 just wasn't anywhere near the guy he is at 185.
@@jonjetmore4018 i know, but still being one of 2 people who finished whittaker via strikes, and the future champ sure would age well on anyone's record
It's not surprising considering there is no striker like Wonderboy at 185. He's very unorthodox and good. Only wrestlers pose a problem for him.
and those losses against tyron woodley aged extremely bad xD
@@espatecfuet7968 because woodley didn't have the courage to fight stand up like a man
Certainly a LEGEND to remember forever. His style of Karate is the future.
You only get to this level when you train since you’re a kid, this guy is truly special, he literally uses all his resources, so freaking smart.
I love Stephens style
Same
1:05 that’s the most beautiful and honest example of sportsmanship I’ve ever seen in the UFC. 💯 genuine
Wonder boy is like… you good? Okay, I’m gonna light you up now!
1:25 how did they not realize he was doing the Karate kid?
I know right😂
That's what I'm saying!
His fight against Luque is still my favourite, so clean with some of those kicks
that front leg roundhouse is awesome
as a karate guy we train that too, its highly affective, hits them through a blind spot and scores us 3 points in sparring too!!!
Gotta love Wonderboy. Wicked nice guy. Extremely talented.
that kick over the shoulder is insane
Iv always loved this kids style of fighting. He's a special athlete show casing some great feet
🤨 wym by that
Hol' up
Kid 🤨
Showcasing great feet 🤨
His style is like a rookie taking to chess...he's unpredictable,kicks 4rm everywhere,impossible angles & sick leg dexterity
Wonderboy piecing up Bobby Knuckles is still wild asf!
An absolute legend. Also I think the only man to walk out to a cage fight rocking Tenacious D 😅
I wonder if we'll ever know what the secret of his power is.
He gets a lot of points for that in my book. Love tenacious d
It’s the perfect song for him!
That Robert Whitaker win aged like fine wine
Robert was dying from that weight cut
@ashleywhite7718 ufc because we can't see your face
@Ashley White ufc obviously
@@ashash8026 yeah but WB would’ve did that to Robert at even 185
@@ashash8026 excuses
wonderboy is one of my fav fighters... i wish he had gotten more opportunities to fight for the belt.
Wonder boy is the definition of class . Honest and humble all at the same time there's never going to be a better show of class when he retires
Lets Go Wonderboy🐸💨
One of theee greatest strikers to enter the octagon. Str8.
Yes, we know that he is straight. He has a girlfriend.
😆💯
ONE OF THE GREATEST Fighters that the UFC Octagon has EVER SEEN, PERIOD!!!!!! Just seriously, NOBODY like W.B.!!!!!!
I hope he becomes champ one day
Way past his prime, unfortunately not gonna happen.
@@crusty6148 I don’t know glover got it done if he gets only strikers and the fights Leon I think he could
Yeah I like Thompson but he’s 40 now bro
@@lilhuna6276 Very good point. Anything can happen in MMA
Nope... at least not in the UFC
That kick is a thing of beauty.
That round house kick to Dan Stitchen was insane. No way he could have seen that kick coming.
For me, the cleanest, most technical ko in UFC history
Wonderboy is a true martial artist. His striking is so technical and precise
His style and form is perfection. So good. Started training straight outta the womb
A true martial artist. Straight up Karate. Love it !
1:23 "Well, wonderboy is limping or just, doing something" 😂
“Wonderboy is limping!, or just doing something” -Jon Anik 😂😂
His kickboxing record is insane wow but wonderboy is a rare kinda dude he genuinely looks 24 years old he has plenty of fights left in him
Wonderful and classy fighter. One of my favourite.
A Wonderboy Greatest Hits video that’s only 5 minutes long??
Yah, I’ll be looking forward to Part II soon!!
His technique is just pure art. Inspirational. Real karate
That victory celebration is epic
He is easily one of the best to compete, and such a great man. Respect.
That first knockout like damn that’s how we starting the video?😂 and the flip too was dope
He’s the best! Prayers for him always!
Wonderboy Thompson is one of many UFC fighters that has shown time again that karate can be applicable if you know how to use it correctly
I too was born on 11 February like Stephen wonderboy thompson! He has fought killers throughout his career that makes him so special
And he knocked out a prime(even tho welterweight) Bobby Knuckles...one of thee most defensively sound MMA future legends
Prime. Lol. Is was 8 years ago and Whittaker was at welterweight. Definitely far from his prime.
@@barbarapaparella1833 So? How many people knocked out Robert? Lol. Robert is the same fighter, it is just that the 185 division has no real strikers ,lol
@@Dare-Knight lol. I think just Izzy knocked him out at MW. Same fighter. He fought Muderers row . Beat Yowl twice, Souza, Brunson, Till, Vitoria, Kelvin, and more I'm missing. Second Izzy fight was very close as well.
What a legend, his technique is so perfect that he looks like a videogame character
Hes on of the greatest martial artists of our generation, future HOF member for sure!
The true people’s champion.
He will be my all time favorite.
1:07 wonderboy thought he hit him in the Crown Jewels. Henderson: I’m fine
Wonderboy: oh okay good *SPINNING BACK KICK TO THE FUCKING CHEST
I love the fact he walks out to tenacious D wonderboy. That is incredible
1:09 the faint, switch to southpaw and kick was just such a beautful sequence. Opponent mustve been terrified
One of the nicest dudes to ever knock people stiff.
Wonderboy a ninja. I forgot he ko'd Whittaker too. He so deserves a belt.
Watching wonderboy strike is so satisfying absolutely beautiful striking
Pure class and a nice solid person
I love how Wonderboy stops to check on Hendricks after he thinks he kicked him with a low blow, as soon as Hendricks nods his head like he’s ok, he commences to kicking the rest of his ass! 😂
When I was around 6 my parents enrolled me in Upstate Karate in Simpsonville SC. One of the instructors was Stephen Thompson, he taught a lot of my classes and even pulled out two of my baby teeth 😂. He’s a good dude and a really talented fighter
Would love to see him vs Izzy, would be art
Great leverage. Awesome kicks.
I only wish he came to the UFC in his early 30s instead of later! He was a multiple champion in kickboxing and came to MMA kind of late but still in his young 40s is a wonder to behold!
That knockout was something else
2:50 the best KO !! So nice technic and good power in this young men 🔥🔥 POLAND POWER !
Remember hes forty and he still moving like hes in his twenties 💯💯💯💪💪💪
Incredible Striking
Only If he has good ground game, imagine what a beast this guy will be. Already dangerous enough standing up.
Some of these strikes, pure genius
His front side kick is just …. Idk how to explain it besides FUCKING BEAUTIFUL
The only fighter I enjoy watching, honestly
the commentator not getting the karate kid celebration hurt me
I'm fascinated by this man's striking
Absolutely sublime technique
Holy shit! I never saw the Whitaker fight. Let's see wonderbiy vs Izzy!
Would be amazing man! Or wonderboy vs Alex P
@@jansendawe9212 lmao no. Alex walks around 230 and Wonderboy walks around 178 - 184 lbs. it was like 3 weight class difference.
This guys arsenal is truly
Something else
Wonder Boy is one martial artist we all had fixed in mind as kids , what it would be like to be a black belt .
I love his celebration move
Wee need more of Wonderboy.
The commentary team not catching the Karate Kid crane kick against Hendrix still hurts my soul.
Freakin love Thompson what a All-American!
This man has no enemies
I love the story of how he got the nickname "Wonderboy". Hes been one of my favorite fighters since he joined the ufc. If he had developed a competent wrestling ability early on he would have been the successor to GSP. I actually think wonderboy has better technique than gsp with striking but at the same time its not apples to apples with their techniques but as an overall fighter gsp is more well rounded. Regardless, what a great career and all around great guy. Props.
Probably the most confident fighter i ever saw
Now this guy knows how to FIGHT. No clinching every 10 seconds like a lot of fighters. He lets them get back up so he can finish them off.
Such a unique fighter. Just like wineland, you could show me Thompson’s silhouette and you would know it’s him from his stance and movement
Wonder Boy proving that Karate works!
The biggest proof is when I go to the Muaythai bjj hapkido gyms and put them through the cracks. Of course. ten years without training shotokan
To be fair he did also have the kickboxing training
@@ajax3748 yeah, but he also had the point karate training (which everyone shits on), and it's what he primarily uses in his striking.
@@dab0331 oh yeah point karate is definitely effective. Im just sayin he probably also learned a lot from kickboxing. The thing about point karate is people say there's no power behind the strikes but they're holding back. If they can do it at 10%, they can do it at 100%
@@ajax3748 I think every striking art has its benefits depending on the scenario and range.
Karate is great for open range, kickboxing for medium range, and boxing for when you're in a claustrophobic setting or when you get rocked and your back is against a wall.
Awesome video
Wonder boy fight week❤❤❤
Actually never knew Wonderboy finished Bobby knuckles! Wow
Loved watching him destroy post-juice Hendricks
Looking forward to seeing Wonderboy win at 296. Guy deserves a shot at the title! Awesome fighter.