Stephen Thompson will be battling UFC Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley for the second time at UFC 209. Thompson was nearly finished in the fourth round in their first fight at UFC 205, but ended up surviving for a majority draw.
“There were a few times in previous fights where I was hurt,” Thompson said to MMA Fighting. “It’s just a matter of not giving up, if you know what I’m saying. No matter how much it hurts, you gotta stay focused on what you’re there for and your goals, just don’t give up. There were a lot of fans there that night and I feel I made a lot of new fans.”
Thompson also believes the judges were right in how they scored the round, as he was dominated.
“I’m willing to admit round four was 10-8,” Thompson said. “For me, it was [me winning] round two, round three, and round five. A draw was fair.”
Thompson has defeated a former UFC Welterweight Champion in the past as he beat Johny Hendricks by first round TKO at UFC Fight Night 82. It was Thompson's second main event fight in the UFC.
UFC 209 takes place on Saturday, February 4 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York with Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson headlining.
