UFC 205's Stephen Thompson on title-fight strategy vs. Woodley: 'Try to Muhammad Ali him'

Stephen Thompson is ready for the best and worst-case scenarios as the days wind down to him challenging Tyron Woodley for the UFC welterweight championship in the UFC 205 co-main event.

Best-case, Thompson (13-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) connects with one of his flashy strikes early in the fight and knocks Woodley (16-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) out in short order. Worst-case – outside of a loss, of course – would be going five grueling rounds where he’s forced to overcome adversity to take the title on the judges’ scorecards.

So long as he leaves with the belt, Thompson said he’s willing to do whatever it takes to win, but as he explained on today’s UFC 205 media conference call, the keys to victory boil down to avoiding Woodley’s power shots, maintaining a movement-heavy strategy and keeping his back off the canvas.

“He’s definitely got some one-hitter quitter power, as we saw when he fought Robbie Lawler,” Thompson said. “It took one shot. Obviously I want to stay away from that right hand. But he’s not only a good striker, he’s a good wrestler. When I go out there I definitely need to be on my P’s and Q’s because not only can he hit you with a right hand, but he can take you down as well.

“Keeping my footwork, always moving and making it difficult for him to be on my legs and just try to hit and move. That’s one thing I can do, try to Muhammad Ali him. He’s the champion for a reason, so I’ve taken that into perspective and always being aware out there.”

UFC 205 takes place Nov. 12 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass.

Woodley, No. 1 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA welterweight rankings, displayed his power when he knocked out Lawler in the fastest title-fight stoppage in divisional history to capture the 170-pound belt at UFC 201 in July. Although “The Chosen One” has indisputable knockout ability, it’s his ground game that could be his biggest weapon against No. 2-ranked Thompson.

Prior to competing in MMA “Wonderboy” went years as an undefeated kickboxer. His skills have transferred over well, and he has recorded multiple highlight-reel finishes inside the octagon. Thompson has experienced just one setback in his career, an April 2012 loss to Matt Brown at UFC 145 where he was constantly grounded and overwhelmed by the grappling of his opponent en route to a decision loss.

Woodley’s ability to control a fight on the ground is at a different level than Brown, but Thompson has made significant gains to his takedown and ground defense in the years since his encounter with “The Immortal,” and he knows as much.

“I’ve been working my wrestling tremendously,” Thompson said. “Just improving on it every day. I feel like I came in the game very late in 2010, but man, I’ve made leaps and bounds with my takedown defense. Every time I step in there, I expect to get taken down, but I’m ready for it and pop right back up and get the fight where I want it, and that’s standing.”

If Thompson can keep the fight standing and avoid being clipped by one of Woodley’s big bombs, it would seem the scales would be tipped in his favor on fight night. He’s said he’s not assuming the fight will play out that way, though, and is keeping his mind open to every avenue so long as it leads to him walking out of UFC 205 with the title around his waist.

“I never go out there looking for the knockout,” Thompson said. “It’s one of those things you got to let happen. I’m ready for five, five-minute rounds and that’s what I expect going out there. I expect the best Tyron Woodley when I go out there and that’s what I’m prepared for. If it goes five, fives, then that’s what happens. I never go out there trying to look for the knockout. If it happens it happens, if it doesn’t it doesn’t.”

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