Thompson Warns Fans On Movie Theater Etiquette

Stephen Thompson has one thing guaranteed to make him lose his cool: talking in a movie theater.

The UFC welterweight, who faces Charles Radtke at UFC 334 on Saturday at Madison Square Garden, is known as one of the nicest fighters in MMA. But his brother-in-law Chris Weidman revealed on the Deep Waters podcast this week that Thompson once turned on a group of moviegoers during the previews. "He turns around and stares at them," Weidman said, per MMA Mania. "The kids were probably in their mid-20s, and then he said, 'Shut up! I'm trying to watch this.'" When the group pointed out it was only the previews, Thompson allegedly escalated with profanity.

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Thompson Confirms His Theater Rules

Weidman said he was stunned to see the normally mild-mannered karate specialist ready to throw down over movie trailers. Thompson later confirmed his stance on UFC on Paramount, telling fans to keep quiet if they spot him in a theater. "Don't be talking around me," he said. "Look, I paid for a cinematic adventure, and I'm having one. If you're talking behind me, oh, we're going to have some words." Weidman added that Thompson's father shares the same obsession, and both will stare down anyone who talks in their home theater.

The two-time welterweight title challenger makes his final walk to the octagon Saturday in what he has called his farewell fight after 14 years in the UFC.

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Photo: SebastianJFromTheBurg / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Original reporting:

• mmamania.com — The one thing that makes Stephen Thompson lose his cool | MMA Mania