{"id":203178,"date":"2016-09-05T07:32:10","date_gmt":"2016-09-05T14:32:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/staging.tcpcharms.com\/bjpenn\/?p=203178"},"modified":"2016-09-05T07:32:10","modified_gmt":"2016-09-05T14:32:10","slug":"stephen-thompson-explains-why-he-deserves-the-title-shot-over-demian-maia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.tcpcharms.com\/bjpenn\/mma-news\/stephen-thompson\/stephen-thompson-explains-why-he-deserves-the-title-shot-over-demian-maia\/","title":{"rendered":"Stephen Thompson Explains Why He Deserves the Title Shot Over Demian Maia"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the main event of UFC on Fox 21<\/a>, UFC welterweight Demian Maia dazzled with a first-round submission of long-time contender Carlos Condit. The win extended the Brazilian’s streak to six, and under slightly different conditions, probably would have catapulted him directly into a title fight with welterweight champion Tyron Woodley.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately for Maia, the welterweight division is also home to Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, a streaking striker with\u00a0seven<\/em> straight wins behind him.\u00a0Unless the UFC throws us a serious curveball,\u00a0Thompson will be given the next shot at Woodley,<\/a> while Maia will have to wait to fight the winner of that bout.<\/p>\n

In a recent interview with Submission Radio<\/a>, Thompson reaffirmed his status as the welterweight division’s number one contender and explained why he should get the next title shot over Maia.<\/p>\n

The striker’s main argument for the title shot comes down to numbers.<\/p>\n

“I do believe that, after me and Tyron fight, [Maia] should be getting the title fight,” <\/em>Thompson said on the show.”But if you look at it, I\u2019ve got the longer winning streak. I\u2019m at seven, he\u2019s at six.”<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

While Thompson remained complimentary of Maia throughout the interview, he\u00a0also admitted that he believes he’s defeated higher-quality opposition than his Brazilian rival.<\/p>\n

“The guys he’s fought… Carlos Condit is a monster, Neil Magny, Gunnar Nelson… they\u2019re all really good fighters but I think I\u2019ve beaten the better, more prestigious fighters,” <\/em>Thompson said of their respective opposition.<\/p>\n

“I beat Rory MacDonald, who was the last guy that beat him.”\u00a0<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Thompson also addressed the argument that a 38-year-old Maia should get the next title shot simply because he’s running out of time.<\/p>\n

“I know he\u2019s an older guy, and he thinks he should get it before me because he\u2019s an older guy, but hey, I can\u2019t help it that he started MMA at a later age. I feel like I started at a later age. When I started, I think I was 28. So yeah, I\u2019m definitely the one that deserves that next title shot.”<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And what would Thompson think if Maia\u2013or someone else<\/a>\u2013were to get the next shot instead of him?<\/p>\n

“I think it\u2019s crazy if they don\u2019t give me this fight.”<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Do you think Stephen Thompson deserves the next crack at the welterweight title? How will you feel if the title shot goes to someone else? Sound off, PENN nation!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the main event of UFC on Fox 21, UFC welterweight Demian Maia dazzled with a first-round submission of long-time contender Carlos Condit. The win extended the Brazilian’s streak to six, and under slightly different conditions, probably would have catapulted him directly into a title fight with welterweight champion Tyron Woodley. Unfortunately for Maia, the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":54430,"featured_media":185507,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false},"categories":[10132],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nStephen Thompson Explains Why He Deserves the Title Shot Over Demian Maia | BJPenn.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/staging.tcpcharms.com\/bjpenn\/mma-news\/stephen-thompson\/stephen-thompson-explains-why-he-deserves-the-title-shot-over-demian-maia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Stephen Thompson Explains Why He Deserves the Title Shot Over Demian Maia | BJPenn.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In the main event of UFC on Fox 21, UFC welterweight Demian Maia dazzled with a first-round submission of long-time contender Carlos Condit. The win extended the Brazilian’s streak to six, and under slightly different conditions, probably would have catapulted him directly into a title fight with welterweight champion Tyron Woodley. 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