UFC Nashville contains the return of the oldest hunter of the selection that still believes that he has left in him for a few years.
It has been a long time since Stephen Thompson introduced himself to UFC fans with a stunning debut victory than Stittgen on UFC 143.
After 13 years with the promotion, Thompson will participate in his 22nd UFC fight this weekend when he is opposite Gabriel Bonfim at UFC Nashville.
The recent pensions and UFC departure of Jessica Penna and Vinc Pichel have led to 'Wonderboy' becoming the oldest hunter in the current schedule.
The former Welterweight Challenger title was born 13 days earlier than Jan Bachowicz, hopes that he can continue his run to write his name in the history books.
Stephen Thompson says it would be 'cool' to surpass Randy Couture and fight in the UFC last 47 years old
When many think of the oldest hunter who participated in the Octagon, many spirits will jump to the great Randy Couture.
'The Natural' still achieved success with heavyweight and light weight leaves in his forty before he stepped in the last fight of his career at UFC 129 at the age of 47.
Although there is in fact a hunter who competed in an even older age in the UFC than Couture, to which Stephen Thompson refers, the UFC Hall of Famer remains the most famous example.
At the age of 42 'Wonderboy' has two more fights about his current UFC deal and although he has won one in his last five, he still competes against the best boys in the Welterweight Division.
Thompson told MMA Junkie in a recent interview that while he takes every fight as it comes, and he is willing to walk away from the sport if necessary, he sees the performance of Couture as a nice target to strive for.
“It would be cool to beat the record of Randy Couture … It would be cool, but I have two fights about the man and we will see them through, they will honor, and we will go outside and win these next two fights in a great way and see if we continue. It depends on what the UFC wants to do.
Stephen Thompson recognized the real oldest hunter who ever participated in the UFC
Although Stephen Thompson spoke specifically about breaking the Randy Couture record, he stopped himself to say that there was a hunter from the early days of the sport that is the oldest competitor who fought in the UFC.
That place is reserved for former UFC 4 -participant and martial arts film actor Ron van Clief.
Van Clief was a acclaimed karate and Kung Fu champion whose only UFC fight against the legendary Royce Gracie, which he lost through submission, when he was 51 years old.
The resident of New York continued working as a Commissioner for the UFC who withdrew from the competition in 2002 when he was 60.