After being knocked out and pinned down multiple times by wrestlers in previous bouts, Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson and Kevin Holland both vowed not to fight when they met Saturday in the UFC Orlando main event at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. Wrestle again.
At one point early in the fight, they went down after a scramble and the Netherlands had a chance to claim the top spot. Instead, he jumped up, shook his finger, and said, “Don’t fall.”
No wrestling, just batting at the highest level during Saturday’s incredible four-round bout. It’s been an incredible back-and-forth battle that will vie for the fight of the year, but Thompson’s volatile hitting game is different.
Holland appeared to have injured his right hand early in the game, and without that weapon, he was at a serious disadvantage against the on-point Thompson. Thompson swept him straight with his left hand, kicking his legs, body and head.
Thompson was pouring rain, and because their men couldn’t properly shield themselves with their right hands, Dutch coach Bob Perez opted to stop the fight after the fourth round, giving Thompson a TKO win.
It’s a really fun classic fight where fighters use every appendage they have on their bodies for a landing attack.
Thompson, who turns 40 on Feb. 40. 11 years old, determined to prove he’s still one of the welterweight elite. He lost to Gilbert Burns and Beral Muhammad, each of whom knocked him down and didn’t let him use his strike, and against a fighter with a strike style like Holland’s, he was full. vitality.
“The guy was reaching for days and I knew he was going to have a hard time getting inside,” Thompson said after the game in the octagon. “I’ve got to use my timing, my distance management, get inside and, of course, have good timing.
“My last fights, I lost to fighters. I wanted to show the UFC and the fans that I’m a Wonderboy and that I’m still here. You know, I feel like I’m 25 and I’m in the long run Work.”
The Netherlands, which performed well in the first round, has been on the defensive for most of the time since then. He took more and more punishment as the game wore on, with two of the three umpires scoring Thompson a 10-8 fourth.
With his inability to use the right, the fifth could have been dangerous, so Perez made the smart move to stop it.
Holland was disappointed, but he got what he wanted.
“[Thompson was] A little faster than I thought, but [otherwise it was] Definitely what I expected,” Holland said. “Kudos to Steven ‘Wonder Boy’ Thompson, his dad and everyone in his corner. Great team. “
It’s a good night. It was a marathon day and night battle, with the main event not starting until 1am ET. Those who stay up late are greatly rewarded.