MMA News

Home

Quizzes

Newsletter

Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

Famed Welterweight Appears Better Than Ever, According to Teammate

Originally posted on MMA Sucka | By Hank Strandberg | Last updated Jul 16, 2025 1:24 AM ET

Long-time 170-lb contender Stephen Thompson believes former world champion Rory MacDonald is better than ever since hanging up his gloves three years ago after sharing a camp with him.

Stephen Thompson Teams Up With Rory MacDonald Ahead of UFC Nashville

In the build up for his first bout of 2025, Thompson didn’t take any chances in making all necessary preparations for his co-main event appearance at UFC Nashville this past weekend. Gearing up for a pivotal clash with strong prospect Gabriel Bonfim, “Wonderboy” pulled out all the stops in his training as he looked to defend his ranking in the welterweight top 15. Looking for the right teammates for his latest Octagon assignment, Thompson brought on previous adversary Rory MacDonald to join him in his camp.

Veteran viewers of the sport will remember Rory MacDonald for his six year stint in the UFC. Defeating the likes of Nate Diaz, BJ Penn, Demian Maia and Tyron Woodley, “The Red King” earned a coveted title shot at the welterweight throne against then champion Robbie Lawler in 2015. In arguably the greatest mixed martial arts fight of all time, the two men battered each other for five rounds in a slugfest for the ages, though it was MacDonald who ultimately succumbed in the fifth round due to strikes.

Competing just once more in the promotion to the aforementioned Thompson, who outstruck the Canadian en route to a unanimous decision victory, Rory MacDonald ended up leaving the UFC for rival company Bellator in 2017, capturing their 170-lb strap and defending it twice. He then left for the PFL four years later before retiring in 2022 with an organizational record of 2-4, losing the last contest of his career to Dilano Taylor by first round knockout.

Thompson Reveals Rory MacDonald Greatly Improved After Retiring

While his days as an active fighter are well behind him, with Rory MacDonald bluntly restating that fact at a panel in the lead up to UFC 315, Thompson believes that the mixed martial arts icon is better now than when he last fought. In an interview with venerable journalist Ariel Helwani, the South Carolinian spoke about the improvements that MacDonald has made in his absence from the limelight.

Could we see Rory MacDonald make a return?

"Rory, I think is better now than when he was before he retired. I think it's because he found that fire within him again.

With talent like that, it would just be a shame for the world not to see him fight again." – @WonderboyMMA pic.twitter.com/jmCpEAYdTN

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) July 15, 2025

“Rory, I think is better now than when he was before he retired. I think it’s because he found that fire within him again,” said Thompson. “With talent like that, it would just be a shame for the world not to see him fight again.”

In the realm of combat sports, some retirements don’t tend to last for very long. Over the past two years alone, we have seen several high-profile UFC names metaphorically and literally put their gloves down, only to return to action shortly thereafter. This can be seen with former Olympian Henry Cejudo competing in the main event of UFC 288 after walking away from the promotion a mere three years earlier. In a more recent example, renowned competitor Jon Jones also announced his retirement, only for him to reenter the UFC’s testing pool two weeks later.

Although the likelihood of Rory MacDonald making a comeback after so long seems slim, his reputation among the fanbase is forever cemented after his many memorable performances inside the Octagon. With the image of his battered visage staring down a dangerous Robbie Lawler etched in annals of the sport’s history, MacDonald will go down as one of the greatest welterweights to ever do it.