UFC 334 marked the end of Stephen Thompson’s 14-year UFC career, and he couldn’t have scripted a better farewell. The former two-time welterweight title challenger had already announced that his matchup against Charles Radtke would be the final fight of his career.
When fight night arrived, the 43-year-old went out in style. Thompson knocked out Radtke with his trademark spinning hook kick at 2:54 of the third round, bringing the UFC 334 prelims at Madison Square Garden to a memorable close.
Following the knockout, Thompson placed his gloves in the center of the Octagon, marking an emotional end to his time inside the cage.
The fight itself didn’t start particularly well for Wonderboy. Radtke secured an early takedown in the opening minute, but Thompson eventually returned to his feet and began finding his rhythm on the feet.
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He grew increasingly dangerous in the second round, hurting Radtke with a body kick before following up with a flurry of punches. With Thompson turning up the pressure, Radtke was forced to desperately shoot for another takedown to make it out of the round.
Thompson carried that momentum into the third, mixing up his kicks and punches while frustrating Radtke’s attempts to take him down. Then came the perfect ending. Just under halfway through the round, Wonderboy unleashed a devastating spinning hook kick that sent Radtke crashing to the canvas.
It was a fitting conclusion for a karate specialist who began his UFC career with a spinning back kick knockout and chose to end it the same way. The post-fight interview with Joe Rogan was just as emotional.
Thompson took a moment to thank the fans for being part of his journey over nearly 15 years, saying, “I’ve been with the UFC for almost 15 years, and tonight I couldn’t ask for a better way than to go out with a spinning hook kick to the dome.”
Rogan, Thompson, and the American’s entire team were visibly emotional after the broadcast played a video package celebrating his career. He also reflected on the power of his signature technique before thanking everyone who helped him reach the top of the sport.
He said, “I don’t care if your hands are up – if you hit someone with a good old-fashioned spinning hook kick, you’re going down. I told myself I wasn’t going to cry. The UFC, everyone who helped get me here – my dad, my brother, my mom, my managers … but most of all, we wouldn’t have this sport if it wasn’t for the fans.”
Thompson walks away from professional MMA with an 18-9-1 record and a legacy as one of the most recognizable strikers in UFC history. His combat sports journey, however, began long before his MMA career.
The South Carolina native started kickboxing as a teenager in 1999 before eventually transitioning to MMA in 2010. He quickly made an impression, putting together a 5-0 record and earning his UFC opportunity.
Thompson made his promotional debut at UFC 143 in February 2012 and won eight of his first nine fights. His impressive run eventually earned him two opportunities to capture the welterweight championship.
Wonderboy first challenged Tyron Woodley at UFC 205 in November 2016. Their five-round contest ended in a majority draw, setting up an immediate rematch at UFC 209 the following March. Woodley came out on top that time, retaining his title via majority decision.
Although he never managed to capture UFC gold, Thompson built an impressive resume with victories over several notable names, including Rory MacDonald, Johny Hendricks, Robert Whittaker, Jorge Masvidal, Vicente Luque, Geoff Neal, and Kevin Holland.
Now, after delivering a picture-perfect ending to his fighting career, Wonderboy can turn his attention to the next chapter of his life. The veteran also has a new role to enjoy after becoming a girl dad in September.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
