‘Wonderboy’ Thompson Clashes with ‘Immortal’ Brown at UFC 145 in Atlanta
Stephen Thompson (left) will square off with Matt Brown at UFC
145. | Photo: Sherdog.com
It appears Stephen Thompson and Matt Brown have gone from “Knockout of the Night” rivals to in-cage adversaries.
Thompson and Brown will face off at UFC 145, which takes place April 21 at Philips Arena in Atlanta. Thompson announced his participation in the event on Saturday via Twitter, and UFC officials confirmed the Brown booking soon thereafter.
Headlined by a light heavyweight title confrontation between reigning champion Jon Jones and former kingpin Rashad Evans, the UFC 145 main draw airs live on pay-per-view. Also featuring a pivotal bantamweight scrap between Miguel Torres and Michael McDonald, the event marks the UFC’s first trip to Atlanta since UFC 88 in 2008.
A kenpo karate stylist and decorated kickboxer, Thompson has translated his success in the stand-up arts to his budding mixed martial arts career. “Wonderboy” made his MMA debut in 2010, racking up five consecutive victories before receiving the call to compete at UFC 143 against fellow Octagon newcomer Dan Stittgen. Thompson made quick work of his foe, landing a perfectly-placed right round kick to Stittgen’s jaw, relieving him of his consciousness at 4:13 of round one and netting Thompson a $65,000 “Knockout of the Night” bonus.
Brown also impressed at UFC 143, knocking out “Ultimate Fighter” Season 13 semifinalist Chris Cope. Though Cope proved game in the early going, “The Immortal” eventually found a home for his right hand in round two, staggering his opponent before sending him reeling to the canvas with a left hook and forcing a referee stoppage due to ground-and-pound. The win marked the second victory in Brown’s last three fights after suffering a trifecta of losses in 2010.
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