It only takes a few minutes of watching Stephen Thompson fight to realize there's something special about him.
Granted, a nickname like Wonderboy and a highly decorated resume from his time in kickboxing serve as proper setups, but this is MMA, and greatness in a prior realm is never guaranteed to translate into the world of cage fighting.
For a fighter who has been throwing his hands and feet with bad intentions from a variety of angles with great success since the age of 12, needing more than what was previously required is undoubtedly a strange wrinkle to face.
Six fights into his time under the UFC banner, though, Thompson appears to be not only adjusting but thriving in a sport where his incredible striking acumen is just one of a multitude of tools required for victory to be achieved.
This will certainly be the case as the 32-year-old Pitch Black MMA representative moves deeper into the highly competitive ranks of the UFC's welterweight division, and an upcoming bout against perennial contender Jake Ellenberger at The Ultimate Fighter 21 finale is a surefire sign that he's getting closer to the top of the 170-pound ladder.
During his time in the Octagon, The Juggernaut has faced some of the best fighters in the world in his weight class, and the fight is figured to be the biggest test yet for the Simpsonville, South Carolina native.
Ellenberger represents the caliber of test Thompson has been hungry to receive, and he's confident his performance in Las Vegas will show he's ready to face the best his division has to offer.
"It's awesome to be fighting in a main event against an opponent ranked in the top 10," Thompson said. "I was supposed to have a main event fight back in February, but I ended up injuring my rib and was forced to pull out of the fight. They asked me to be the main event again for this fight, and hopefully that means the UFC is realizing I'm an exciting fighter. That's pretty cool, but facing a top-ranked fighter like Ellenberger is awesome.
"Jake is a tough dude and with good wrestling. He's fought some of the best. His last three losses were against the top three guys in our weight class. I hope this fight is going to show everyone the improvements I've made with my wrestling skills since the Matt Brown fight," he laughed. "Everyone bases my wrestling off that one fight, and that's an area I believe I've made a tremendous amount of progress in. Wherever the fight goes, I feel comfortable with it."
Every time Thompson sets foot inside the Octagon, he will do so knowing he has the advantage in the striking department against any man he faces.
On the flip side, the surging welterweight is also well aware of areas in his all-around game that are vulnerable and have a high probability of being attacked by his opposition.
After coming out on the losing end of a wrestling-heavy affair against Brown at UFC 145 back in 2012, the karate-based fighter has worked diligently to shore up and strengthen his grappling skills to round out his skills and ensure he's adept wherever his fights may take place.
A big factor in his progression has been his constant work with undefeated middleweight champion Chris Weidman.
Pushin through sum serious heat today. Only making us tougher@wonderboymma @raylongomma @funkmaster_ufc @ryanhall5050 pic.twitter.com/mu91dO7o81
— Chris Weidman (@ChrisWeidmanUFC) June 23, 2015
The Serra-Longo leader and Thompson have helped each other prepare for their respective opponents over the past three years. The time spent doing the rigorous work that goes down within the walls of an MMA gym has forged a friendship between the two men based on mutual respect and love for the fight game.
"I've spent a lot of time training with Chris Weidman," Thompson said. "He came down to train with me and spar a few weeks ago, and I went up to train with him before his last fight. There is no one in this weight class who is going to be as strong as Chris Weidman.
"Chris had me come up and help him out for his first fight with Anderson [Silva.] We've been good buddies ever since. He's come down for my camps and I've gone up to New York to help him with his. I was up there last week working with him and it's been great. He's not only an incredible fighter, but he's a family man as well. But he really pushes me. Doing five five-minute rounds with Chris is 'Oh my gosh' rough and he's the champ for a reason. He's a monster and I definitely feel it."
In addition to his work with the reigning king of the 185-pound fold, Thompson has also brought in additional talents to help him improve in the areas he admits he was once "fairly green" in.
Canadian wrestler Matt Miller and jiu-jitsu wizard Ryan Hall are just two of the powerhouses he's hit the mat with during his preparation to face Ellenberger at the TUF 21 finale.
In a longer view, facing world-class talent inside the gym is not only for his immediate challenge coming on July 12 but knowing what will be required in order for him to achieve his ultimate goal. Thompson isn't content with being one of the best fighters in his weight class—he's in it to become the very best without question.
He is aiming at winning the welterweight strap and willing to invest everything he has mentally and physically to ensure he'll be ready when the time to make that dream a reality comes.
In order to do that, he'll need to continue winning fights, and Thompson is keenly aware of how every challenge on the road to a title shot will only get tougher and more dangerous. It is a path he's excited to travel, and his fight against Ellenberger will be the perfect opportunity to convince the UFC he's ready for the big time.
"I'm looking at this fight as a huge opportunity because I want to get that title," Thompson said. "Some guys fight in the UFC just for the payday and they are not interested in becoming a champion, but that's not me. I'd fight for free to be honest with you. I just love doing it. I've been involved in martial arts since I was three and started competing at 12 years old. I want to go all the way.
"When I beat Jake Ellenberger and break that top 10, we'll see where it goes from there, but I'm excited. There are a lot of tough guys in the upper tier of this division and I definitely have to be on top of my game and continue to better myself."
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
