Stephen Thompson to retire from MMA after UFC 334 fight

Stephen Thompson will retire from mixed martial arts after his fight at UFC 334 on November 14, the 43-year-old has confirmed. Thompson said he is finished with MMA, though he is open to appearing in RAF and similar formats in the future.

The announcement fits with what he said earlier this year. Back in August, Thompson indicated he planned to fight out his contract in 2026.

Thompson, known as "Wonderboy," is a 17-9-1 American out of Team Upstate Karate. He is a six-foot orthodox fighter with a 75-inch reach (191 cm), and his striking numbers explain how he built his reputation: 4.11 significant strikes landed per minute at 46 percent accuracy. He has rarely relied on grappling, averaging 0.25 takedowns and no submission attempts per 15 minutes. Thompson is also a father of four daughters.

He heads into his farewell on a three-fight losing streak. His most recent recorded fight came on July 12, 2025, when he dropped a split decision to Gabriel Bonfim. Before that, Joaquin Buckley stopped him by KO/TKO in the third round at UFC 307 on October 5, 2024. Shavkat Rakhmonov submitted him in the second round at UFC 296 on December 16, 2023, which is the earliest of the three defeats.

Why it matters

• Thompson's exit closes a long run as one of the sport's best-known karate-based strikers.
• He leaves with a 17-9-1 record, and all three recorded defeats on his current skid came against Bonfim, Buckley and Rakhmonov.
• His openness to RAF and similar formats suggests he may stay active in combat sports outside MMA.

At 43, Thompson is choosing his own exit rather than waiting for a decision to be made for him. His farewell fight takes place next weekend at UFC 334.