Stephen Thompson ready for any challenge following UFC 170

UFC welterweight Stephen Thompson is still relatively young in MMA, but he’s learning well on the fly.

The former undefeated kickboxer took on “The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes” winner Robert Whittaker (11-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) at this past Saturday’s UFC 170, and he was able to make an adjustment in the middle of the fight that put him on the winning track.

After running into Whittaker’s punches early in the fight, Thompson (9-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) began to defend them and get off his own strikes. One of them, a lead right hand, smashed into the Australian fighter’s jaw and put him on the canvas late in the first round.

“I felt really comfortable out there,” Thompson told MMAjunkie following his pay-per-view main card bout. “Everything felt really clear.

“He hit me a few times with that jab, and I was like, ‘Get your hands up and block this jab.’ Once I did that, I was able to put my combinations together and hit him with that big right hand. I felt really good out there tonight.”

UFC 170 took place at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Events Center. The headliner saw women’s bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey defend her belt in a first-round TKO of Sara McMann.

Thompson now has won three straight in the UFC since a decision loss to Matt Brown at UFC 145 slowed his roll and handed him his only professional setback.

“Wonderboy” has yet to meet elite grapplers in the UFC’s lightweight division, and right now, he would most likely struggle against someone who could take him down at will. But there are plenty of matchups that could make sense as he continues to evolve as an MMA fighter.

Brandon Thatch, Sean Pierson, and Hyun Gyu Lim are some of the names that jump out as stylistic compliments to the striking specialist.

Thompson is game to fight them all.

“I’ve been in MMA for four years, so I’m learning right now,” Thompson said. “But we’ll fight anybody who steps in the cage with us. That’s up to my manager and (UFC President) Dana White and the UFC to figure out who that’s going to be.”

For complete coverage of UFC 170, stay tuned to the UFC Events section of the site.