Stephen Thompson arrived in UFC Nashville hoping to rewrite the end of his story. Instead, he received a bloodied shin, a split decision loss, and a new wave of controversy surrounding MMA judging. Thompson, 42, looked bright despite a severe leg injury, but the judges chose Gabriel Bonfim. And many viewers weren’t having it.

Bonfim won on two of the three scorecards, although it was not a unanimous decision outside the cage. For viewers, fighters, and analysts alike, the outcome did not sit right, especially given Thompson’s comeback performance after injuring his shin in round two.

Instead of folding, he kept firing kicks, landing headshots, and driving forward, whereas Bonfim focused on clinch control and takedowns that dealt little damage. Dillon Danis simply called it out on his X, as he wrote, “What a robbery. Wonderboy clearly won that. Judges must’ve been watching a different fight. Guy’s 42 and still schooling people.”

UFC welterweight Kevin Holland also joined in, as he added, “I had Wonderboy 2-3, but I’m no judge.” The MMA Guru also stated that Thompson won the second and third rounds by wide margins. “Thompson won the second and third round clear… 42-year-old grey-haired Wonderboy with a busted shin & he’s failing his takedowns & control then just stalling up against the cage.”

Fans online expressed their displeasure, with one user writing, “Horrible scoring. I hate judges who score control like that. He just held him. But got lit up in round 2 and 3. Wonderboy should’ve won that.”

Another added, “The lame a– scoring system let the bum win who had to hug and hold a 40-year-old against the cage to stall… Pathetic to watch.” This was more than just a bad loss.

It served as a reminder that in MMA, controlling space often trumps actually fighting. And for a fighter like Thompson, who is adored, older, and still capable, it’s the kind of conclusion that fans will debate long after the lights go out. Especially after he entered the fight as the oldest guy in the promotion.

Stephen Thompson walked in as the oldest in the UFC

Stephen Thompson’s performance in Nashville was not only amazing; it was historic. At 42 years old, he entered the Octagon as the oldest active fighter on the UFC roster, a title he quietly assumed upon Vic Pichel’s retirement this year. You wouldn’t have known that from looking at him.

Thompson, with his signature smile, shredded physique, and relentless movement, appeared to be in his prime rather than at the end of a storied career. His resume may reflect recent defeats, but the context conveys a richer story. His last win came in 2022 against Kevin Holland, when he turned back the clock in a bruising four-round struggle.

Since then, he has faced top-tier fighters: Shavkat Rakhmonov submitted him, and Joaquin Buckley earned Thompson’s second KO of his career. So, there is no shame in losing to the division’s hungriest finishers. That level of competition reflects more on the UFC’s matchmaking than Thompson’s decline.

‘Wonderboy’ continues to command respect even as he approaches the end of his fighting career. He didn’t just survive against a younger, undefeated opponent; he almost stole the fight with one leg, winning over the fans and the majority of the MMA community. He emphasized that age is only a number… at least, until the judges make it one.