UFC offered and I’ve accepted, @Rakhmonov1994
let’s close out the year strong. Dec 16 can’t wait— “Wonderboy” Thompson (@WonderboyMMA)
September 22, 2023
Editor’s note: The article has been updated at 9:15 p.m. ET to
add confirmation from the promotion.
Two top-10 Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweights
went public about a huge fight to end the year.
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On social
media, Stephen
Thompson (17-6-1) posted on Friday that the organization
offered him a fight against Shavkat
Rakhmonov (17-0), and that he had accepted it. Minutes later,
Rakhmonov replied,
“Let’s go!” to signify his excitement about the prospective
welterweight clash. If this bout is made official, according to
Thompson, it will go down on Dec. 16 as part of
UFC 296, which will take place in the T-Mobile Arena in Las
Vegas. The UFC confirmed
this matchup on Friday night.
The unbeaten Rakhmonov has been looking for an opponent since
strangling Geoff Neal
with a standing rear-naked choke in March. That victory put the top
contender from Kazakhstan in prime position for a top-tier matchup,
sporting a flawless record with all 17 victories inside the
distance. Before meeting Neal, Rakhmonov wiped out Carlston
Harris with a spinning wheel kick in early 2022, and he
followed that by solving the puzzle that is Neil Magny by
tapping the longtime vet with a guillotine choke. “Nomad” was
linked to a bout with Kelvin
Gastelum in September, but Gastelum was forced to withdraw when
breaking bones in his face during training.
A fight for the 40-year-old “Wonderboy” would be his first in 2023.
In his lone appearance in 2022, Thompson snapped a two-fight skid
by busting up Kevin
Holland en route to a fourth-round corner stoppage. Before the
Holland headliner, the former welterweight title challenger fell
short to top-ranked 170ers Gilbert
Burns and Belal
Muhammad in 2021. Of note, his finish of Holland marked his
first stoppage victory since he put Johny
Hendricks away in 2016.
UFC 296 will take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Dec.
16 to conclude the calendar year for the UFC. Atop the marquee,
Leon
Edwards will attempt to defend his welterweight throne against
Colby
Covington – and the UFC has the potential for a replacement
option in Rakhmonov or Thompson should something happen to that
fight. The co-headliner is also for a title, as champ Alexandre
Pantoja runs it back with Brandon
Royval in a potential all-action scrap.