Stephen Thompson
Stephen Thompson’s run to the welterweight title was certainly impressive, seeing him compile a seven-fight unbeaten stretch that included KO and TKO victories over the likes of Robert Whittaker, Jake Ellenberger and Johny Hendricks, then a decision win over Rory MacDonald.
Next up he would face the champion Tyron Woodley, but unfortunately it didn’t prove to be as exciting as his previous bouts.
Instead this was an extremely tense, tactical battle in which they both appeared to be very wary of the other man’s deadly striking, with the fight only bursting to life momentarily in the fourth round when Woodley had Thompson in real trouble for a spell.
The fight would go to the judges and there was so little to choose between the two men that the fight was declared a majority draw, meaning that Woodley retained his title, with two judges scoring three rounds to two in Thompson’s favor, but also giving the champion a 10-8 round.
The two would then fight for a second time a few months later in 2017 and it would prove to be an even more uneventful encounter and in fact one of the worst title bouts in recent memory, with Woodley eventually managing to edge out Thompson by the narrowest of margins via a majority decision verdict.
