The classic “old guard vs. new” format will be in play when Stephen Thompson takes on Gabriel Bonfim later this summer.
“Wonderboy” Thompson (17-8-1) will face Brazil’s Bonfim (17-1) as part of UFC Nashville on July 12, 2025 at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN.
News of the pairing was first reported by Twitter/X account NoLimitsU, with the UFC making an official announcement a short time later.
A former title challenger, Thompson, now 42, has been taking on some of the welterweight division’s brightest prospects of late, losing to Shavkat Rakhmonov and Joaquin Buckley in his last two trips to the octagon. Yet while both of those names are in the title picture at the moment, Bonfim is a different animal – a highly touted undefeated prospect, he faltered in a loss to Nicolas Dalby in 2023, the first setback of Bonfim’s pro career.
Since then, the Brazilian has bounced back with victories over Ange Loosa and Khaos Williams.
Thompson remains ranked at #12 in the UFC’s 170lb division currently, while Bonfim sits outside the top 15.
UFC Nashville currently features the following reported match-ups:
- Derrick Lewis vs. Tallison Teixeira
- Jake Matthews vs. Chidi Njokuani
- Stephen Thompson vs. Gabriel Bonfim
- Calvin Kattar vs. Steve Garcia
- Junior Tafa vs. Tuco Tokkos
- Ateba Abega Gautier vs. Robert Valentin
- Vitor Petrino vs. Austen Lane
- Max Griffin vs. Chris Curtis
- Fatima Kline vs. Melissa Martinez
- Lauren Murphy vs. Eduarda Moura
