Can Wonderboy Turn Back the Surging Challenger?
Stephen Thompson is highly regarded as one of the best pure strikers that has ever competed in the UFC. From his duels with Tyron Woodley for the Welterweight Championship to his masterclass performances against the likes of Kevin Holland, Jorge Masvidal, and Geoff Neal, there have been very few fights that have been able to solve the problem that is ‘Wonderboy’ on the feet. He makes his return for his first appearance in 2025 against a dangerous young fighter in Gabriel Bonfim, who holds a record of 17-1. Will ‘Wonderboy’ turn back the clock and get back in the win column, or will ‘Marretinha’ be too much for him to handle at his age?
The Welterweight Division has a new champion in Jack Della Maddalena after he defeated former champion Belal Muhammad at UFC 315. JDM is a prolific striker, so a matchup against Thompson would be electric. However, the 12th-ranked Welterweight is getting the opportunity to fight up the rankings as he draws an unranked opponent. When the news came out, the 42-year-old went on his socials and stated that he was excited and “Time to prove this old man’s still got it.” Coming off a knockout loss against Joaquin Buckley in his last fight, a loss could spell the end for the career of ‘Wonderboy.’ When fights stay on the feet, he has always been incredibly effective at managing distance and picking his opponents apart from the outside. The vaunted kickboxer’s side stance will always create a problem for anyone who faces him. If he can keep this fight standing, he could find some real success. When Bonfim rushes in for strikes and grappling exchanges, if he can read them and counter, that could stop the powerful Brazilian in his tracks.
Gabriel Bonfim came into the UFC as a finisher of devastating sorts. He has only gone to the judge's scorecards once in his career. After a setback when he was upset by Nicolas Dalby in 2023, he is looking to put his name not only in the rankings but at the expense of a legend like Stephen Thompson. He started his UFC career with back-to-back Guillotine chokes that totaled two minutes and two seconds. He is a dangerous all-around fighter who will most likely be looking to get this fight to the ground, as that would be his easiest path to victory. If he enforces his grappling early, he will wear Thompson down, and once it gets to the ground, he will be able to dominate any position. If he gets the fight to the ground, I can see him getting a finish at some point and stamping his name in the Welterweight Division.
Overall, this is quite the head scratcher, matchmaking-wise wise as there is a 15-year age difference between these two competitors. Thompson is going into his 13th year in the UFC, and there were a few fights that would have been entertaining for everyone. This fight should still be very competitive, however long it lasts, and holds the high possibility for a finish either way. Don’t miss out on all the action on July 12th in Nashville, Tennessee, for UFC Fight Night: DerrickLewis vs. Tallison Teixeira.
