Rising UFC star in town

ULTIMATE Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight Stephen Thompson aka “Wonderboy” was seated at the podium of the venue where he was welcomed last Monday night by UFC partner Cignal with a dinner press conference.

But members of the media in the dinner area managed to get a good look at his fine features from where they were seated.

Everyone agreed he was handsome. Nobody disputed that.

One of the fastest rising stars of the UFC, Thompson arrived in Manila with his father-trainer Ray on the same day of the press con to further spread the gospel of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), which has caught fire here.

Thompson is ranked No. 3 in the official UFC welterweight rankings. Although they still have to see him perform live in the octagon, the members of the Philippine media were awed by the former four-time world champion kickboxer.

Just look at his record. Thompson joined UFC in February 2012 and has remained undefeated in 37 amateur and 20 professional bouts—with 20 wins by knockout.

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Thompson’s fierceness in the ring is bolstered by his kickboxing background. He is one of just two welterweights in UFC history to earn two head-kick knockouts .

He is also one of the best strikers in his division, connecting 4.68 significant strikes per minute, which is the third highest among active welterweights.

Pinoy fans will soon meet this world-class fighter. He will be holding a series of public appearances including press conferences, interviews, courtesy calls and media appearances.

Wonderboy’s professional MMA record is 12 wins, with seven knockouts against one loss. He currently has the highest knockdown rate among active welterweights at 1.64 times per 15 minutes.

Highlighting the series of activities is an MMA clinic for local practitioners. Thompson will also hold an open workout followed by a meet-and-greet session with fans at SM Mall of Asia Music Hall .

Cignal TV, the new home of UFC in the Philippines, will be sponsoring these events supported by Smart.