At UFC Macau last weekend, Muslim Salikhov put on quite the show. The Russian fighter, nicknamed “King of Kung Fu,” landed a spectacular spinning heel kick that sent Song Kenan to the canvas. It was the kind of finish that made everyone in the arena jump out of their seats. Even better, it earned Salikhov a cool $50,000 bonus – not bad for a night’s work!
But Salikhov wasn’t content with just the knockout and the bonus. After his win, he called out Stephen Thompson, and honestly, it’s a matchup that makes perfect sense. Thompson, with his karate background, has been dazzling UFC fans for years with his fancy footwork and lightning-fast strikes.
“I want a fight with ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson. This is a good fight for me, and for him. Let’s see who’s Kung-Fu is better. He’s a Karate guy, and I’m Kung-Fu. It’s gonna be exciting for the fans,” said Salikhov while talking to Helen Yee.
Muslim Salikhov’s callout was pretty straightforward. He even threw in a nice little style comparison, pointing out it would be Karate vs. Kung Fu. The striking enthusiasts are already drooling at the possibility of this fight happening.
The potential matchup is especially interesting because both fighters come from different backgrounds. Muslim Salikhov learned his craft in Sanda, a fighting style developed by the Chinese military. Stephen Thompson’s karate expertise comes from a lifetime of traditional martial arts training. It remains to be seen whether the UFC finds this matchup as interesting as the fans.
Stephen Thompson Reveals Being Annoyed After Loss To Shavkat Rakhmonov
Eleven months have passed since that December night when Thompson faced Shavkat Rakhmonov. While most fighters move on quickly from defeats, this one left a different kind of mark on ‘Wonderboy.’ It wasn’t the submission loss that bothered him. What really got under his skin was the post-fight narrative that Rakhmonov’s team started spinning.
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Rakhmonov claimed he had planned to strike with Stephen Thompson but had changed his strategy due to an ankle injury. Now, anyone who has watched Thompson’s highlight reel knows that willingly choosing to stand and trade with him is not very wise. Thompson, in his characteristic polite way, pointed out how this wasn’t the first time opponents have played this card. He referenced his fight with Gilbert Burns, where similar claims were made.
“After [I fought] Gilbert Burns, his coach was like: ‘Sorry the fight was boring, but that’s the only way to beat you.’ And he said the same thing after Shavkat… But it is [annoying]. Especially after the fight saying that you were going to strike with me,” said Thomspon via MMA Fighting.
The whole situation had Stephen Thompson slightly peeved, which is about as rare as finding a vegetarian at a steakhouse. When a guy nicknamed ‘Wonderboy’ gets annoyed, fans know something’s up. Currently, he is without an opponent after his recent loss to Joaquin Buckley. But fans are hoping to see him make a quick turnaround.
Also Read: Conor McGregor Gives Advice To Stephen Thompson After ‘Wonderboy’ Suffers Another Loss At UFC 307
