Wonderboy could have said a lot of things after losing to Darren Till in Liverpool.
After being on the wrong end of a dodgy unanimous decision to Darren Till in the lion’s den, there were plenty of readily-available excuses Wonderboy could have given.
Immediately after his post-fight medical checks, he was presented with his first opportunities to shit all over the result. UFC reporter Megan Olivi gave him every possible out, but he reacted exactly as expected – with extreme class and dignity.
“Yeah, I thought I edged it out. But, you know, it is what it is. He’s a big boy. He’s definitely a big boy. You could feel his weight out there a little bit, but, you know what, it is what it is.”
Thompson has had numerous knee surgeries throughout his career. When Olivi asked about Till targeting his knee, he was quick to play down the impact the kicks had on the fight.
“My left leg just a little bit. It kept me from moving around like I wanted to, but no excuses.”
Till also came in heavy, missing weight by 3.5 lbs. Again, Wonderboy could have added that asterisk to the result. Instead, he gave the victor props on his performance.
“You know what, it is what it is. I’m going to go back and definitely learn from this, but hats off to Darren.”
"He's a big boy"
Wonderboy keeps it real after his loss in Liverpool. pic.twitter.com/yYdGsdNQNR
— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) May 27, 2018
Behind enemy lines
Wonderboy was all smiles at the post-fight press conference. He confessed that even when Till missed weight, pulling out was never an option he would seriously consider. He was just delighted to have the chance to fight.
“No, not at all. Even though he didn’t make weight, it’s in his hometown, I loved being here. I loved the fight game. I love to put on a show for everybody that came out and for the people who helped get me here. This is what I do, baby. This is what I do.”
Another excuse Wonderboy could have given was the influence of the crowd. The fans inside the Echo Arena showered him with boos during the walkout, fell silent when he landed anything of note and erupted in cheers when he got tagged. It was a hostile atmosphere, but Thompson had nothing but good things to say about the crowd on Sunday.
“To be honest, I couldn’t help but smile. It’s cool going into enemy territory and being the bad guy because when you think of the bad guy, you don’t think of me. It was cool, man. I knew they were out there and no matter what the outcome was tonight, I was going to leave with some fans… I didn’t feel like they hated me, I just felt like they were in for their boy. That’s their boy. He’s from Liverpool and it’s expected. (laughs) I thought it was pretty intense.”
When asked about his thoughts on Liverpool fight fans, he said there was “Nothing like it, man.” He praised the fans for getting so ‘amped up’ before announcing, ‘I’d love to come back and do it again.”
Wonderboy’s a gem. He’s a fan-favourite for a reason, but his attitude may never be appreciated enough.
