Stephen Thompson: New Developments in UFC 291 Pay Dispute

The welterweight veteran's paycheck for his last matchup won't come without a catch.

Drew Beaupré | Sep 26, 2023

Stephen Thompson: New Developments in UFC 291 Pay Dispute /

Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson has revealed how the UFC intends to compensate him after he made weight to fight at UFC 291 but didn’t get to compete.

The two-time welterweight title challenger has yet to step into the Octagon this year, but in July he was scheduled to meet Michel Pereira on the main card of UFC 291. “Demolidor” unfortunately missed weight for that matchup, and rather than accept a catchweight bout Thompson elected to not fight in Salt Lake City.

The fact that “Wonderboy” wasn’t paid by Dana White and the promotion at all after UFC 291 drew a heavy amount of criticism from fans as well as a number of fighters. Speaking to former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman this week, Thompson provided an update on the situation as he prepares to fight Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 296 in November.

Stephen Thomspon UFC — Thompson has been with the UFC since 2012 :: (Nathan Ray Seebeck/USA TODAY Sports)

“I expected really not to get paid,” Thompson told Weidman on Won’t Back Down. “But obviously my manager and everybody was like ‘Hey, you showed up. You should be getting something, right?” So the managers went and chased that. So here I am right now, I haven’t seen any money yet…I think the deal is when I fight Shavkat, they’re gonna add on what they owed me for the last fight.”

“Wonderboy” has been called out by a number of the UFC’s rising welterweight contenders in recent months, including the unbeaten Ian Machado Garry after the Irishman defeated Neil Magny at UFC 292. Rather than take the risk of meeting someone below him in the rankings, Thompson views the Rakhmonov fight as a chance to get back into title contention.

Shavkat Rakhmonov Geoff Neal UFC — Rakhmonov has finished every opponent he's faced. :: (AP Photo/David Becker)

“People are looking at this guy; undefeated, one hundred percent finish rate. Nobody wants to fight this guy, so here I am. I’m like ‘Do I fight somebody ranked below me, do I fight somebody ranked about me?’ Probably one of the toughest guys in the division who nobody wants to fight, I’ll fight Shavkat…He should be fighting for the title after this fight, Leon [Edwards] with Colby [Covington]. I think Shavkat’s [gonna be fighting for the title]. So if I beat this guy, I’m looking at another title shot again.”

Thompson previously challenged Tyron Woodley for the UFC welterweight title twice, and if he truly does intend to fight for the belt again he and Rakhmonov will both be well-positioned to call for a title shot at UFC 296 considering the event's headlining bout will see Leon Edwards defend his welterweight belt against Colby Covington.

The fact that Thompson will apparently be paid by the UFC for making weight at UFC 291 is welcome news for the welterweight veteran, but there are certainly easier ways to earn a payday than by taking on an unbeaten talent that is already 5-0 since he joined the sport's top promotion in 2020.

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Published Sep 26, 2023