Why Is Stephen Thompson Called ‘Wonderboy’? Meaning Behind the UFC Veteran’s Nickname

Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson has been proving why he is worthy of the nickname he got ever since he began his fighting career with Fight Party: Greenville Kage Fighting. With 17 impressive victories and just 7 losses, Thompson’s professional MMA record is a story filled with action sequences that highlight his wonderful striking prowess. Yet, not many seem to know about the story behind the UFC welterweight contender’s moniker.

Today, let’s take a deep dive and learn how Stephen Thompson got his nickname. Well, it does have a link to his wonder-striking fights. So, without any further ado, let’s get right into it!

How did Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson get his nickname?

Stephen Thompson’s nickname, ‘Wonderboy’, is one of MMA’s most recognizable fight monikers. During an old interview, Thompson revealed how he got his nickname in the UFC. The story began with him hiding behind his sister. But the narrative changed drastically when he defeated his first professional MMA opponent with a TKO in the second round.

‘Wonderboy’ in the interview said, “I had my first fight when I was 15 years old, and my dad threw me to the dogs on that one because I was 15, I was o-0, and I fought a guy who was like 26 years old and he was like 20-0. I guess it was kind of his way of showing me I was better than I thought I was. At the time I was getting my sister ready for all of her fights and I was getting beaten up by this girl, my sister, every day, so I thought I sucked.” 

Thompson went on to let the world of martial arts know a bit more about the fight. “But I ended up beating the brakes off the guy and after the fight, the commentator asked my opponent hey man, what do you feel about Stephen Thompson? He said I wondered why I stepped into the ring with this boy, and the announcer called me Wonderboy, and it stuck with me ever since.”

Thompson is undeniably an incredible talent, fit for his moniker as the ‘Wonderboy’ of MMA. But his journey to the nickname began at a pretty young age. Needless to say, Thompson had a life filled with struggle and the fire to be the best.

More about Stephen Thompson’s early life

Well, in his younger days, Thompson didn’t really rely on his kickboxing and Kempo. Hailing from a family of fighters, ‘Wonderboy’ sought support from his sister, Lindsay, who began her training in high school. No wonder the bullies steered away from the Thompsons. Even his father, Ray Thompson, has a history of competing in sanctioned fights. Having a former professional kickboxer as a father indeed played a pretty big role in dragging the UFC contender to the world of combat sports.

But peril had a way of bothering Thompson. Back in 2005, the young fighter tore the ligaments of his left leg. This forced him to worry about his future as a kickboxer, even though he had quite a few titles in the sport. Little did he know that this injury would open the doors to MMA. Talking to MMA Junkie in 2013, ‘Wonderboy’ said, “When I was a kid, I did Kempo, kickboxing and Jiu-Jitsu. But when I started competing in kickboxing, I put that on the back burner to focus on my striking. I got to make the decision where I wanted to go, and I said, ‘Let’s do MMA.’”

With the nickname backing him up, Thompson later decided to share his expertise in Kempo with the young prospects who wanted to learn the martial art. And his position as a head instructor at Ray Thompson’s Upstate Karate lets him do just that. No wonder the 5-10-year-olds are attracted by his impressive kicks in the Octagon.

Now, Thompson is all set to take his experience into the Octagon against Joaquin Buckley at UFC 307. Without a doubt, he will have all the support he can get from his family and students. But will that be enough to get him a victory against someone like Buckley? Drop down to the comments section and let us know if you think Thompson will live up to his nickname at UFC 307.