Stephen `Wonderboy` Thompson is scheduled to return to the octagon this summer at UFC Nashville.
The Fight Night event, which will be headlined by a bout between 40-fight heavyweight veteran Derrick Lewis and undefeated Tallison Teixeira, is also set to feature the comeback of former title challenger Stephen Thompson, facing Gabriel Bonfim. The UFC officially announced the matchup on Friday.
Thompson, holding a professional record of 17-8-1 (12-8-1 in the UFC), will look to snap his two-fight losing streak against Gabriel Bonfim. His recent losses came against Shavkat Rakhmonov and Joaquin Buckley.
His most recent victory inside the octagon was a dominant performance culminating in a TKO win over Kevin Holland in December 2022. Thompson first competed for a UFC title in 2016 after an impressive start to his UFC career (8 wins in 9 fights), but his record since then stands at 4 wins and 8 losses.
Gabriel Bonfim, 14 years Thompson`s junior, boasts a strong UFC record with four wins in five appearances. He has bounced back impressively since an upset loss to Nicolas Dalby in 2023, securing consecutive victories against Ange Loosa and Khaos Williams.
Bonfim, a former LFA welterweight champion known as `Marretinha`, has demonstrated significant finishing ability early in his UFC tenure. He secured first-round submission wins in his first three Octagon bouts: a Von Flue choke on Dana White`s Contender Series, followed by two guillotine chokes against Mounir Lazzez and Trevin Giles in the UFC.
