Stephen Thompson has challenged for the UFC welterweight championship on two separate occasions and has come up short of his goal both times. Receiving two title shots against the same champion makes getting another opportunity at the world title a bit tricky. Thompson does, however see a path to a third crack at it in the very near future (Via MMAmania.com):
“If (Darren Till defeating Tyron Woodley) does happen, hopefully that puts me up closer to a (title) fight,” Thompson said on a recent edition of the Ariel Helwani MMA Show. “That would be the right way to go, but as you know it’s very hard to predict. But I am leaning that way, the needle is leaning towards Till a little bit.
“If he (Till) goes out there and does what I know he can and if he is smart about it, he can win. And that would set me up perfectly, I would think, for another rematch, Of course you got guys above me,” he added. “Colby Covington might get the next shot and you got (Kamaru) Usman moving up the rankings. You got those guys, but I feel like I won that last fight against Till an I think a lot of fans agree with me. If he does win, I would love to have that rematch.”
If Tyron Woodley gets the victory or if a title shot against Darren Till is granted to someone else, Stephen Thompson has a contingency opponent in mind who has held the welterweight strap at one point himself:
“To be honest, I would love to fight Robbie,” Thompson said. “I have been wanting to fight this guy for a long time and I am a big fan of his, even back in his Strikeforce where he was just knocking dudes out. He is one of those grinders, man, he don’t care and he just goes out there to fight. That’s why I’m a fan and been wanting to fight him for a while.”
Do you believe Stephen Thompson should receive a title shot at Darren Till if Till defeats Tyron Woodley at UFC 228?
