Wonderboy vs. Cowboy
- Thread starter Safton
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Wonderboy is a different level.
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Do you mind explaining?
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Which both dudes demonstrably have?
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Gonna be an ass and bump my own thread sharing my thoughts.
With the current versions of each guy, I would feel confident betting on Thompson. Bigger, natural WW. Donald is shot and on the cusp of retirement, with good reason. Meanwhile, Stephen just proved in his last bout that he's still relevant at 170. He did so by defeating a guy Vincente Luque, no less -- a guy who was on a good streak and had developed a reputation as a deadly Muay Thai specialist and legitimate submission threat... sort of like a younger, hungrier, and bigger(?) Cowboy.
That being said, I think the most interesting time for this bout would be an early 2017 incarnation of both. Thompson is on a 7-fight win streak (4 finishes, 3 UDs) and on his way to fighting for the strap. Meanwhile, Cowboy has made his Welterweight debut and is on a 4-fight win streak -- all finishes, and ironically capped off by him decapitating Matt Brown (the only guy thus far to defeat Thompson) with a head kick.
I would still bet on Wonderboy, but by a lesser margin. His body kicks would be a viable weapon and I could potentially see him earning a TKO that way. Donald is infamous for cracking under pressure. While Thompson isn't exactly a pressure fighter, I think people don't give him enough credit in this regard; he turns up the pressure as time goes on, especially once he gets into a rhythm. His darting, in-and-out style is something that I could see giving Cowboy fits, especially when he starts blitzing with punches in between lead leg side kicks to the midsection.
That being said, I think Cowboy has legitimate routes to victory. He's the better grappler and would come out ahead in any grappling exchange... but I don't think he has the wrestling or mentality to exploit it against someone who has faced bigger, stronger wrestlers. If Cerrone does submit Wonderboy, I think it would be something like him jumping on an injured Thompson to choke him after catching him with a flush head kick that didn't quite turn the lights out.
Cowboy's best weapon would be his leg kicks, which he would need to employ early and often to try and chew away at Thompson's mobility advantage. Then, once he's done that, he can start trying to make a read on Stephen's entry and catch him with a Hail Mary strike like Pettis did. Obviously all of this is way easier said than done.
The most likely outcome of a 5-round fight in my opinion: Round 1 is a frankly boring feeling-out process by both guys as they're both slow starters. Going into Round 2, Thompson turns up the heat. Cerrone catches him here and there, but ultimately gets pieced up and is losing on the scorecards by Round 4 or so. The fight ends with a UD or late (T)KO for Wonderboy.
That said, Cerrone is always a live threat and who knows? He might pull a Pettis.
With the current versions of each guy, I would feel confident betting on Thompson. Bigger, natural WW. Donald is shot and on the cusp of retirement, with good reason. Meanwhile, Stephen just proved in his last bout that he's still relevant at 170. He did so by defeating a guy Vincente Luque, no less -- a guy who was on a good streak and had developed a reputation as a deadly Muay Thai specialist and legitimate submission threat... sort of like a younger, hungrier, and bigger(?) Cowboy.
That being said, I think the most interesting time for this bout would be an early 2017 incarnation of both. Thompson is on a 7-fight win streak (4 finishes, 3 UDs) and on his way to fighting for the strap. Meanwhile, Cowboy has made his Welterweight debut and is on a 4-fight win streak -- all finishes, and ironically capped off by him decapitating Matt Brown (the only guy thus far to defeat Thompson) with a head kick.
I would still bet on Wonderboy, but by a lesser margin. His body kicks would be a viable weapon and I could potentially see him earning a TKO that way. Donald is infamous for cracking under pressure. While Thompson isn't exactly a pressure fighter, I think people don't give him enough credit in this regard; he turns up the pressure as time goes on, especially once he gets into a rhythm. His darting, in-and-out style is something that I could see giving Cowboy fits, especially when he starts blitzing with punches in between lead leg side kicks to the midsection.
That being said, I think Cowboy has legitimate routes to victory. He's the better grappler and would come out ahead in any grappling exchange... but I don't think he has the wrestling or mentality to exploit it against someone who has faced bigger, stronger wrestlers. If Cerrone does submit Wonderboy, I think it would be something like him jumping on an injured Thompson to choke him after catching him with a flush head kick that didn't quite turn the lights out.
Cowboy's best weapon would be his leg kicks, which he would need to employ early and often to try and chew away at Thompson's mobility advantage. Then, once he's done that, he can start trying to make a read on Stephen's entry and catch him with a Hail Mary strike like Pettis did. Obviously all of this is way easier said than done.
The most likely outcome of a 5-round fight in my opinion: Round 1 is a frankly boring feeling-out process by both guys as they're both slow starters. Going into Round 2, Thompson turns up the heat. Cerrone catches him here and there, but ultimately gets pieced up and is losing on the scorecards by Round 4 or so. The fight ends with a UD or late (T)KO for Wonderboy.
That said, Cerrone is always a live threat and who knows? He might pull a Pettis.
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