NEW YORK (The Thursday Times) — Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson ne Saturday ki raat Madison Square Garden mein UFC 334 ke dauran teesre round mein Charles Radtke ko ghoomti hui hook kick se knock out kar ke apne 16 saala MMA career ka ikhtitam kiya.
43 saala Thompson ne hafte ke aaghaz mein kaha tha ke yeh unki aakhri fight hogi. Unhon ne teesre round ke 2 minute 54 second par muqabla khatam kiya. Is se pehle Radtke pehle dono rounds mein unhein neeche gira chuke the, jis par hujoom ne hooting ki, kyunke woh Thompson ki woh striking dekhna chahta tha jis ne unka naam banaya.
Thompson ne dusre round ke aakhir mein apni range pa li aur ghanti se pehle muqabla taqreeban khatam kar diya tha. Teesre round mein Radtke thakne lage to Thompson ne usi kick se unhein gira diya, jo unke kickboxing ke pas-manzar ki yaad dilati thi.
Ek jazbati alvida
“Aaj raat main is se behtar andaz mein rukhsat nahin ho sakta tha ke sar par ghoomti hui hook kick maaroon,” Thompson ne Octagon mein UFC ke commentator Joe Rogan ko interview dete hue muskura kar kaha.
Hall mein unke career ki jhalakiyon ki video chali to Thompson ki aankhein nam ho gayin, unke walid Ray ki bhi, jo unke corner mein the, aur Rogan ki bhi. “Hamare chahne walay na hote to yeh khel bhi na hota,” Thompson ne kaha.
Woh 2012 mein UFC mein aaye aur Octagon mein 23 baar utre. Is se pehle woh kickboxing ki 37 shauqiya aur 20 peshawarana fights mein na-qabil-e-shikast rahe. Sabiq champion Johny Hendricks aur Robert Whittaker par jeet samet musalsal saat jeeton ne unhein welterweight title ka pehla mauqa dilaya, aur unhon ne do baar title ke liye challenge kiya: 2017 mein Tyron Woodley se draw khela aur chaar mahine baad rematch majority decision se haar gaye.
Thompson is khel mein, jahan sakht mizaj khiladiyon ki kami nahin, ek sharif aadmi ke taur par jane jate the. “Main is khel ko yeh jaan kar chhodna chahta hoon ke aap top par bhi reh sakte hain aur achhe insaan bhi,” unhon ne kaha.
