Stephen Thompson, celebrated for his exceptional striking prowess, recently shared his expert perspective on the most formidable stand-up fighters in the history of mixed martial arts.
The realm of MMA frequently features athletes who transition from pure striking disciplines or cultivate impressive stand-up arsenals within the sport itself. Alex Pereira, who is set to return to the Octagon this weekend at UFC 320 to face Magomed Ankalaev, exemplifies a fighter who has achieved significant success primarily through his powerful striking.
Thompson, a seasoned veteran and currently the oldest active fighter on the UFC roster, leveraged his extensive knowledge to compile a definitive list of elite striking specialists.
Stephen Thompson`s Picks for MMA`s Top Strikers
In a recent interview, Stephen Thompson initiated the creation of his list of MMA`s greatest strikers, commencing with the legendary knockout artist Chuck Liddell. Predictably, “The Iceman” was not the sole icon included; notable figures such as Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida also received early recognition.
Intriguingly, Thompson also acknowledged several contemporary fighters, including a former adversary whose presence on the list might surprise some.
Thompson`s most recent triumph in the UFC occurred in December 2022 against Kevin Holland. It`s evident that “Trailblazer” made a profound impression on him during that bout. Thompson lauded Holland, articulating: “I think he’s got such a high fight IQ. He can fight everywhere, but he always wins the fight. He’s got such good striking and it’s kind of not looked at a whole lot. Me going out there, going four rounds with the guy, he almost finished me in the first round. With his striking, I think because he’s such a long fighter, he’s got great timing. People don’t realize how good of a striker this guy is.”
While Thompson conceded he could easily continue listing fighters for hours, the following table presents the initial set of names that immediately came to his mind:
| MMA fighter on Stephen Thompson’s list | MMA record | Wins via knockout |
|---|---|---|
| Chuck Liddell | 21-9 | 13 |
| Anderson Silva | 34-11-1 | 23 |
| Lyoto Machida | 26-12 | 11 |
| Michael ‘Venom’ Page | 24-3 | 13 |
| Kevin Holland | 28-14-1 | 14 |
| Jon Jones | 28-1-1 | 11 |
| Conor McGregor | 22-6 | 19 |
| Ilia Topuria | 17-0 | 7 |
| Petr Yan | 19-5 | 7 |
Stephen Thompson Eyes Rematch with Former Foe for UFC Return
In discussions about his future plans, Stephen Thompson communicated his intention to meet with his team shortly to strategize the optimal approach for his return to competition. “Wonderboy” expressed a desire to make his concluding fight under his current contract memorable, with a potential UFC event at the White House being a particularly appealing prospect.
Thompson disclosed that a fan-generated graphic depicting a dream fight card for the event sparked the idea of pursuing a rematch. He elaborated: “It was me versus Jorge Masvidal 2. So, Masvidal’s a big Trump advocate so I know he had shown some interest in fighting on the card and I know that he wanted to run our fight back after I beat him at Madison Square Garden. So, I think it would be a really cool fight card to be on.”
