Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson UFC 307 Training After 40 Interview

We caught up with Thompson ahead of his fight at UFC 307 to learn more about his decades-long approach to training and fight camp. Some aspects of his preparation have changed dramatically (read: he's working on his grappling); Other elements of his fighting camp, such as his diet, have remained largely untouched. With age comes experience and wisdom, so read on for more insight from MMA's Wonderboy.

MH: What is your camp for your upcoming fight against Joaquin Buckley?

STEPHEN “WONDERBOY” THOMPSON: There are so many people who only train when there are fights coming up. I train constantly and always try to develop and get better. At the end of July I found out I was fighting Buckley. I usually meet with all of my coaches before a training camp and we agree on times of the day when I can work with everyone.

I usually train two to three times a day. Today I have strength and conditioning exercises from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. and then fist hand training from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. A lot of this camp, my last few camps, have been focused on my wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu… I'm kind of up to speed on that.

MH: What is the main difference between your training in camp and outside of camp?

ST: Frequency. When I'm not at camp, I usually train once or maybe twice a day. The way of thinking is usually different. I want my mindset in camp to be focused on what I need to get done during sparring sessions – what combinations I want to land, what combinations I don't want to get hit by, and we keep watching film…usually from me. Watch those Your opponent's earliest fights to their most recent to see how much they have changed. Many people don't change. Joaquin has gotten a lot better.

MH: You are 41 years old. How has your approach to training changed since your UFC debut in 2012?

ST: By listening to my body and taking more care of it when it comes to physical therapy and massage therapy. I have a physical therapist that I see weekly. I don't miss a training session, but if I come in and think, “Man, I'm tired, I'll still train, but not as intensely.” It could be agility exercises, watching movies, a little mitt work, things like that. I also don't train as hard as I used to, which I think has contributed to the longevity of my career. My training partners push me but don't try to hurt me.

MH: What about your diet?

ST: I don't have a sweet tooth and don't like junk food. I pay attention to what I eat, which helps me keep my weight down. It's always been that way. The heaviest I get outside of camp is about 200 pounds [Thompson has to weigh in at 170 pounds before he fights].

I fast for three days every two to three months and only drink juice and water. This helps remove all toxins from my body and increases my testosterone levels. Of course you can't do this during camp because you're training and need fuel. At camp I reduce the amount of food I eat, but eat more frequently throughout the day.

MH: Cutting weight before a fight is a notoriously difficult process. What does that look like for you now?

ST: I usually show up on Tuesday of fight week weighing 185 pounds. On Thursday night when I start cutting, I weigh 178 pounds. When I started, no one knew what they were doing and we all just suffered. I sat in the sauna for eight hours with Skittles in my mouth, trying to spit and feeling like I was dying. Then I would [apply] Albolen [makeup remover, which opens up the pores]put on a tracksuit and do a two and a half hour workout.

Now I lie down in the sauna blanket and lie in front of the TV for a few hours without using any energy and that's how I wind down. It's easy and I feel great. I'll get up Friday morning weighing about 171 and then shadow boxing.

MH: If you could give your younger self some training advice. What would it be?

ST: I wish I focused more on my grappling. At the beginning of my kickboxing career, I had no idea that I would become an MMA fighter, so I put grappling on the back burner. At the moment the division has Belal [Muhammad] and Gilbert [Burns]who have struggled with this their entire lives and it's really difficult to deal with. I know how to stop A, B, and C from turning off, but these guys go from A to B, to C, to D, to E, to F. I can't keep up, so it's one of those things that I'm still learning, but I wish I had learned it earlier.

MH: Do you remember what you spent your first big check on?

ST: I got $6,000 for the show and $6,000 for winning, but I won the $65,000 bonus. Before I knew it, three months went by and the money was gone. Training camps are expensive. You have to pay your coaches, your management and your teammates. After all this, I decorated my apartment and bought a bed.

MH: How has your money management evolved?

ST: Conor McGregor and I have the same management – ​​Paradigm Sports. And you know you have good management when you're trying to make money And Save it. The UFC [will] They have summits where they bring fighters out, and they teach you how to manage your money, how to pay your taxes, all these things you don't learn in school. Additionally, my parents have been running businesses for over 50 years; They know how to manage money and I get great advice from them.

MH: In what other ways have you changed the sport outside of combat in the last decade?

ST: When I came along, you only had a chance at the title if you earned it. If you have a little influence on social media and a few people behind you, you could have a fight and then fight for the title.

That's also a part of the business that a lot of people don't really see when it comes to fighting games: building your social media to expand, not just now, but in the future. So when I retire, I can still do things on my social media [Thompson has 500,00 subscribers on his YouTube channel and 1 million followers on Instagram].

It's every day. We work Sundays, man. We just bought a shipping container and soundproofed it, which is where we do all of our podcasts and battle mishaps. It's a full-fledged business – and business is booming. Either you need to be savvy about social media or you need to find someone who can do it for you. And thank God I have a brother, Sweet T, who is super good at it.

MH: Have you thought about what you will do after you retire from competition?

ST: I support several things, but the most important thing is our gym [Upstate Karate in Greenville, SC, which Thompson runs with his father and brother]. Seeing people come to school with low self-esteem or overweight but leaving first grade with a smile and seeing the changes they make and knowing that I have something to do with it makes a huge difference in the World.

I want to have something I can rely on, different sources of income. The karate academy, the UFC, YouTube and real estate. I own several duplexes that I use to make money everywhere and that I would like to invest more in. I'd like to make a few comments – I love breaking up fights. I was there too Cobra Kaiand we might look at that One piece Live action TV show.

This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length