UFC welterweight Stephen Thompson says he regrets not being more aggressive in his recent fight with Gilbert Burns, while claiming the Brazilian was “scared of my striking.”
Thompson spurned his chances at a title shot by losing via unanimous decision to Burns at UFC 264 last month. The grappling-heavy affair was far from an instant classic, with many fans and UFC President Dana White criticizing the bout for its lack of excitement.
Some argue, however, that Burns played a smart fight against “Wonderboy,” doing what was necessary to grind out a win against one of the UFC’s most technically proficient strikers.
The victory put the Brazilian back into the title contender conversation, having lost to champ Kamaru Usman in his previous fight. Thompson, meanwhile, was left to pick of the pieces of yet another shattered attempt at becoming welterweight champ.
Stephen Thompson Criticizes Gilbert Burns For Tentative Approach At UFC 264
While some considered Burns’ grappling-heavy approach a smart game-plan, Thompson saw it differently. In an interview with MMA reporter James Lynch, the 38-year-old says he believes “Durinho” was scared of his striking.
“Now that I look back at it, he was backing up because I think he was scared of my striking,” Thompson said (h/t Adam D Martin at BJPENN.COM). “During the fight, I’m sitting there waiting for him, I was making sure I wasn’t overly aggressive coming forward. I wanted to keep him right on that edge where I’m not too close, not too far away. But now that I look back, he was scared.”
“Wonderboy” also indulged in some self-criticism, noting that he could have been more aggressive in the fight.
“I definitely could have been more aggressive in that fight with my striking. It showed in the second round where he was trying to get me down and he was literally covering up head down,” continued Thompson. “I was surprised that he was happy with that. At the end of it, he was acting like he just won the title. If it was me, I would have been disappointed winning that way. But you know, I’m definitely disappointed in my performance as well. I should have been more aggressive and let my hands fly!”
Burns has since taken to Twitter to laugh off Thompson’s comments.
What do you think? Was Gilbert Burns scared of Stephen Thompson’s striking during their UFC 264 bout?
