Ray Longo thinks Stephen Thompson’s age played a factor in the judges picking against him at UFC on ESPN 70.
Thompson (17-9-1 MMA, 12-9-1 UFC) lost a split decision to Gabriel Bonfim (18-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) in Saturday’s co-main event at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. – a decision many observers deemed controversial. Longo also thought “Wonderboy” won the fight and explained why he thinks Thompson being 42 factored into the judges’ decision.
“He 100 percent won the fight,” Longo said on the “Anik & Florian Podcast.” “Easy fight to score. You know what the problem is that I have? It’s conspiratorial, but if Stephen was 34 years old, and he was on the come up, he’s winning that fight. They give it to him. That’s my honest belief. It’s almost like (Paddy) Pimblett against Jared Gordon. The guy went in, in the third round trying not to fight,, not even to try to take him down, and the only damage in the third round I believe was done by ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson, and that’s why he wins that fight.
“If you go on damage, he’s the guy with the damage. They f*cked that up. I’m not saying complete robbery, but it’s a robbery based on the criteria. He did the damage. The other guy went out there not to fight. I don’t know how you give that guy the fight. I just don’t know how.”
Longo praised Thompson for fighting well and thinks he left with more to gain than Bonfim – despite not getting his hand raised.
“He lost that fight,” Longo said of Bonfim. “How does that fight benefit Bonfim? We can talk about how it benefitted Thompson. He’s 42, what a performance, put him on ice skates a little bit there in the second round, takedown defense held up pretty good, he hit the floor, he was still fighting his way back up, his shin gets busted open, which isn’t a pleasant injury, still kicking with it. That guy won the fight hands down. I think it’s almost disgraceful. Come on, man, he did what he had to do to win that fight.”
