“Wonderboy” says he will officially call it a career after UFC 334.
Stephen Thompson has long hinted at retirement on the horizon, mentioning that he had one fight left on his UFC deal. On Thursday, he confirmed that his Nov. 14 bout vs. Charles Radtke at Madison Square Garden in New York will be both of those things.
“It’s my last one,” Thompson told Ozoon. “What better place to have it than Madison Square Garden, New York City?”
Thompson, 43, became a father to a baby girl in September. While he’s never saying never on a return, being a serious fighter at the highest level would take too much time away from his new role as “dad.”
“My body feels good,” Thompson said. “I feel great. I can keep going. But I have a baby girl. … ‘Wonderdad’ now. That definitely changes your mindset a little bit. We’ll see as she’s older where I’m at. You might see me again.”
Thompson has lost six of seven entering his final UFC bout. Although the results in recent years have been bumpy, Thompson for years was considered one of the premier fighters at 170 pounds. A seven-fight winning streak from May 2013 to June 2016 landed him as title challenger for UFC 205 in November 2016. In what was perhaps his most notable career bout, Thompson fought to a draw with then-champion Tyron Woodley, in the thrilling co-main event just below Conor McGregor vs. Eddie Alvarez. Thompson would lose by majority decision in a title rematch to Woodley at UFC 209 in March 2017.
Other notable wins for Thompson include Rory MacDonald, Johny Hendricks, Robert Whittaker, Jorge Masvidal, Vicente Luque, Geoff Neal, and Kevin Holland.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Stephen Thompson announces UFC 334 will be retirement fight