UFC legend Stephen Thompson has given his thoughts on being called a gatekeeper in the welterweight division.
This weekend, Stephen Thompson will return to the cage when he goes head to head with Gabriel Bonfim. It serves as yet another example of the 42-year-old veteran giving an opportunity to a younger guy as he attempts to prove that he still has what it takes to compete at the elite level.
Regardless of whether or not you think he should still be competing in the UFC, there's no denying that Stephen Thompson is one of the easiest fighters to like in the entire sport. He carries himself with grace and dignity, and he always goes in there with the intention of putting on a show.
In a recent interview, Stephen Thompson opened up on how it feels to be in the position of testing just how good these younger guys really are.
Stephen Thompson gets honest
"I'm kind of like the go-to guy when it comes in the welterweight division... I'm notorious for giving these guys a shot, right? I did it with Vicente Luque, Geoff Neal, Kevin Holland. You know, I'm just the guy to allow these guys to come up and test themselves."
The man known as 'Wonderboy' will continue to do his job for as long as the UFC allows, and for as long as his body continues to hold up. Hopefully, he's able to go in there on Saturday and - at the very least - show the best version of himself.