UFC veteran Stephen `Wonderboy` Thompson, renowned for his exceptional striking skills, recently unveiled his personal selection of the greatest stand-up fighters in MMA history.
Many fighters transition to MMA with strong striking backgrounds or develop formidable stand-up prowess within the sport. Thompson, one of the most experienced fighters on the UFC roster, utilized his profound understanding of striking to compile a comprehensive list of elite specialists.
Stephen Thompson Includes Kevin Holland in His Nine-Man List of MMA’s Greatest Strikers
During a recent interview, Stephen Thompson shared his definitive list of MMA`s greatest strikers, beginning with the iconic Chuck Liddell, known for his legendary knockouts. As expected, Liddell wasn`t the only legend; Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida were also prominently featured early in his selections.
Thompson also acknowledged several active fighters, notably including a former opponent whose inclusion might surprise many. This surprising pick is Kevin Holland, whom Thompson defeated in December 2022. Holland`s performance in that bout evidently left a strong impression on `Wonderboy`.
“I think he’s got such a high fight IQ. He can fight everywhere, but he always wins the fight. He’s got such good striking and it’s kind of not looked at a whole lot. Me going out there, going four rounds with the guy, he almost finished me in the first round. With his striking, I think because he’s such a long fighter, he’s got great timing. People don’t realize how good of a striker this guy is.”
While Thompson conceded he could continue naming elite strikers for hours, the following list represents the initial, impactful names that came to his mind:
| MMA Fighter on Stephen Thompson’s List | MMA Record | Wins via Knockout |
|---|---|---|
| Chuck Liddell | 21-9 | 13 |
| Anderson Silva | 34-11-1 | 23 |
| Lyoto Machida | 26-12 | 11 |
| Michael ‘Venom’ Page | 24-3 | 13 |
| Kevin Holland | 28-14-1 | 14 |
| Jon Jones | 28-1-1 | 11 |
| Conor McGregor | 22-6 | 19 |
| Ilia Topuria | 17-0 | 7 |
| Petr Yan | 19-5 | 7 |
Stephen Thompson Eyes Former Foe Jorge Masvidal for Return Bout
Thompson also revealed plans to discuss his return strategy with his team soon, aiming to make his final fight on his current contract a significant one. He mentioned that a fan-created graphic for a hypothetical UFC event at the White House sparked his interest in a specific rematch.
“It was me versus Jorge Masvidal 2. Masvidal’s a big Trump advocate so I know he had shown some interest in fighting on the card and I know that he wanted to run our fight back after I beat him at Madison Square Garden. So, I think it would be a really cool fight card to be on.”
