Thompson On His Lifelong Love Of Anime

Stephen Thompson revealed his deep appreciation for anime in a conversation ahead of his final octagon appearance at UFC 334.

The UFC welterweight, who faces Charles Radtke at Madison Square Garden in what will be his retirement bout, sat down with MMA Fighting to discuss the hobby that has followed him throughout his fighting career. Thompson has openly shared how the Japanese animation genre became a fixture in his life beyond the cage.

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Thompson's Final Fight At UFC 334

The 41-year-old enters his farewell contest on a rough three-fight skid, having dropped consecutive decisions to Shavkat Rakhmonov, Joaquin Buckley, and Gabriel Bonfim. His 17-9-1 record includes victories over Kevin Holland, Geoff Neal, Robert Whittaker, Vicente Luque, Jorge Masvidal, Rory Macdonald, and Johnny Hendricks.

Despite the recent losses, Thompson's striking pedigree and fan-friendly style made him a perennial welterweight contender through much of the 2010s. His nickname, "Wonderboy," reflected the karate-based movement that carried him to a pair of title shots against Tyron Woodley.

🎟️ Get tickets: Buy tickets to UFC 334 on Ticketmaster →

Thompson meets Radtke at UFC 334 on November 16 at Madison Square Garden.

Reported via:

• MMA Fighting — Anything but Fighting: Stephen Thompson loves anime