Stephen Thompson expects backpay after UFC 296, believes beating Shavkat Rakhmonov seals title shot

Stephen Thompson isn’t sure, but the former UFC welterweight title challenger thinks he’s got some backpay coming to him.

Thompson is set to take on undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov on Dec. 16 at UFC 296 in Las Vegas. The fight was booked roughly two months after Thompson’s UFC 291 matchup against Michel Pereira fell off on weigh-ins day.

When Pereira tipped the scale three pounds over the welterweight limit at 174, Thompson, who was 170.5, declined to continue on with the fight. Because he held his end of the bargain and made weight, Thompson thought the UFC would still pay his show money, which didn’t happen – and still hasn’t.

But Thompson expects that to be rectified after UFC 296.

“I do believe that they’re going to – I think the deal is, when I fight Shavkat, they’re going to add on what they owed me for the last fight,” Thompson told Chris Weidman on SiriusXM’s “Won’t Back Down.”

To which Weidman jokingly responded, “So they’re bribing you.”

That got a laugh out of “Wonderboy” – but also a serious explanation how the Rakhmonov fight came about given their was dual interest to fight between former champ Kamaru Usman and Thompson, as well as a callout from Ian Machado Garry, since the fallout from UFC 291.

“I don’t think they’re bribing me,” Thompson said. “But it was the fact that I wanted somebody – OK, so there was the thing about Usman after that fight. Usman called me out, and I wanted that fight, but the UFC kept coming back and saying, ‘No, Usman’s not gonna fight you. He’s gonna fight somebody else.’ So there’s a lot going on.

“Then Ian Garry fights (and beats Neil Magny at UFC 292), and he calls me out obviously. And then I get a call from the UFC saying, ‘Hey, fight Ian Garry at MSG’ (UFC 295). I’m like, ‘No, I’m done fighting these guys that are ranked below me. Give me somebody that’s ranked above me.’”

The UFC apparently obliged, and now 40-year-old Thompson (17-6-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC), who’s No. 7 in the official rankings, gets the chance to hand No. 6 Rakhmonov (17-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) his first professional defeat. It’s an opportunity that Thompson, coming off a win over Kevin Holland, relishes, given his title aspirations and what Rakhmonov’s 100 percent finish rate means.

“People are looking at this guy, undefeated, hundred percent finish rate. Nobody wants to fight this guy, so here I am,” Thompson said. “I’m like, you know, do I fight somebody ranked below me? Do I fight somebody ranked above me, probably one of the toughest guys in the division who nobody wants to fight? I’ll fight Shavkhat. Let’s do it. Let’s make it happen.

“I believe (if) I go out there and I beat this guy – he should be fighting for the title after this fight with Leon (Edwards) and Colby (Covington). I think Shavkhat’s got it (if he wins at UFC 296). So if I beat this guy, I’m looking at another title shot again.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 296.