Go ahead and put Stephen Thompson on the shortlist of greatest UFC takedowns of all time.
After a long and illustrious career that spanned more than a decade, “Wonderboy” bid farewell to mixed martial arts on Saturday at UFC 334 with one of the best highlights of his UFC career, knocking out Charles Radtke at the age of 43 with a dazzling spinning wheel kick and sparking a raucous party at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
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After gaining momentum late in the second round, Thompson (18-9-1) came out aggressive for the final frame of his MMA life, hammering Radtke (12-6) with hard one-twos and kicks from his signature blade stance. Then, in a sequence that will surely be replayed on highlights for years to come, “Wonderboy” caught his 36-year-old foe with a perfect spinning kick at 2:54 of the third round.
If only for a moment, Thompson looked like the exact same karate prospect who took the UFC by storm in its run to back-to-back welterweight title runs from 2012-2016.
Subsequently, Thompson made his retirement from MMA official.
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“I’ve been in the UFC for almost 15 years. Tonight I couldn’t ask for anything better than to come out with a hook kick to the dome, baby. Let’s go,” he said.
“I told myself I wasn’t going to cry. I just want to tell you that I love you.”
“I know I’ve said it before,” an emotional Thompson continued, “but if I never meet you, or dance with you, or workout with you, or laugh with you, or cry with you, I love you.”
A staple of the UFC’s welterweight division since 2012, Thompson established himself early as a dangerous opponent at any 170-pounder, using his unique karate-based striking style to quickly rise to the upper echelon of the division. His run culminated in 2016-17, when he twice challenged Tyron Woodley for the UFC welterweight championship, first fighting to a draw at UFC 205 in 2016 – the first UFC event ever held in New York – before losing their 2017 rematch by majority decision a year later.
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In total, Thompson competed 23 times for the UFC over a 14-year span, defeating a slew of notable names including former welterweight champion Johny Hendricks, former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker, Jorge Masvidal, Rory MacDonald and Vicente Luque, among others. He finished his career with a promotional record of 12-9-1.
Despite his close championship matches against Woodley, “Wonderboy” told Uncrowned last week that he was leaving the sport with no regrets about how his career went.
“I have no hard feelings. I don’t look back wishing for anything. I have no regrets. Zero,” Thompson told Uncrowned’s “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “I’ve enjoyed the journey, and I’ve been honored and blessed to be a part of it every step of the way. That’s all you can do.”
Check out complete UFC 334 results and highlights from Uncrown’s Fight Night Event Center.
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