Weight classes exist in combat sports for a reason. How much weight a fighter cuts, how much time he gets to recover, or if he gets to fight without making the weight, all of these usually play a key role in the actual fight.
Bad faith actors have from time to time tried to bypass weight class regulations which have called the integrity of the sport into question. Now we may be seeing a similar scenario involving Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson following his UFC 291 bout cancellation against Michel Pereira.
Dana White discusses Stephen Thompson’s paycheck issue
During the post-fight press conference for “Contender Series” on Tuesday, Dana White provided his perspective on the situation and clarified the correct payment process. The UFC president stated that Thompson’s description of the payment system is not accurate.
“You come in and you don’t fight — first of all, you decided not to fight. The guy was three pounds overweight, whatever it was, you get a piece of his purse if you take the fight. But if you deter you decide you don’t want to take the fight. We also offered him another fight.” Dana said.
full story from Dana on Stephen Thompson not getting paid for #UFC291 pic.twitter.com/0OA9pypWte
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) August 9, 2023
White pointed out that if a fighter chooses not to compete, it doesn’t guarantee payment as per the contract terms. Nevertheless, UFC Head also emphasized that the UFC consistently ensures the well-being of all fighters, and they are committed to resolving the issue with ‘Wonderboy’ as well.
What happened with Stephen Thompson at UFC 291?
Scheduled to face Michel Pereira at UFC 291, Thompson made the decision to withdraw from the fight due to Pereira’s failure to meet the weight requirement. In an extensive Instagram post, the UFC veteran conveyed his disappointment, noting that this wasn’t the first instance of an opponent missing weight against him.
🚨| Stephen Thompson is hoping to get a fight with Kamaru Usman at #UFC295 at MSG.
Thompson wants to be on that card regardless and would love to fight Usman after Usman said he’d be willing to fight him yesterday.
[per @TMZ_Sports]#UFC295 #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/0C1lQNI7Rd
— MMA Orbit (@mma_orbit) August 3, 2023
Citing past experiences, Thompson and his team concluded that it wouldn’t be the right choice to proceed with the fight under these circumstances. The welterweight fighter, who last fought in last year December is still looking forward to coming to terms with UFC regarding payment issues.
“Fighters who miss weight face far too few consequences and are often allowed to fight with a significant competitive advantage. This appears to be happening more and more these days. Hopefully, the decision to not move forward with the fight will discourage others from missing weight in the future. ” Stephen said.
Wonderboy expressed his desire to serve as an inspiration for other fighters encountering similar situations, urging them to take a similar stance and not let such incidents occur.
“I stand with Stephen — I stand with Thompson on this one,”
Chael Sonnen stated that UFC should pay "Wonderboy" his show money after his UFC 291 fight was canceled due to his opponent missing weight pic.twitter.com/Q7vJ0VIhWa
— Bloody Elbow (@BloodyElbow) August 2, 2023
Wonderboy also assured that he is in good health and intends to make a swift return to the Octagon while ensuring a level playing field. Do you agree with Stephen Thompson? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section.
