Stephen Thompson shares positive update and return timeline after gruesome shin injury suffered at UFC Nashville

Originally posted on Bloody Elbow | By Curtis Calhoun | Last updated Jul 22, 2025 5:23 PM ET

Former UFC title challenger Stephen Thompson shared a positive update after his shin was cut wide open at UFC Nashville.

Stephen Thompson suffered more than a defeat at UFC Nashville earlier this month. In addition to a controversial decision loss to Gabriel Bonfim, Thompson suffered one of the most gruesome mid-fight injuries of the year so far inside the Octagon.

As Thompson went to throw a leg kick, that was perfectly checked by Bonfim, Thompson’s shin split wide open in a graphic sight in the UFC Nashville co-main event. Despite the nasty laceration, Thompson went on to not only finish the three-round fight, but repeatedly throw his compromised shin as a weapon against Bonfim late in the action.

Stephen Thompson targets end-of-the-year return despite nasty shin injury in last fight

After Thompson’s graphic injury at UFC Nashville, many wondered when fight fans could expect the fan favorite to return to the Octagon, and how long his shin would need to fully heal. It turns out that Thompson’s shin is healing up at an astonishing rate, as he shared on social media on Tuesday.

In a recent post to X, Thompson shared before vs. after images of his nasty shin split suffered at UFC Nashville.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Stephen Thompson (@wonderboy)

“Looks gnarly but [healing] up nice! Foot is feeling good too,” Thompson said.

“Idk, y’all might see me back in there before the end of the year. I ain’t gettin any younger [LAUGHS].”

Thompson is firmly out of the welterweight title mix following his controversial defeat at UFC Nashville, but received a glowing endorsement from UFC CEO Dana White to ‘stick around’ and continue fighting. The 42-year-old Thompson has lost three consecutive fights, including a nasty KO loss to Joaquin Buckley at UFC 307 last October.

After UFC Nashville, Thompson called for significant MMA judging reform after many viewers questioned the scorecards. As Thompson inches closer to a UFC comeback, he has a unique record in his sights.

Stephen Thompson targets a unique UFC record before retiring from fighting

Thompson wants to become the UFC’s oldest active fighter to win inside the Octagon before he hangs up the gloves. Randy Couture, one of the greatest legends in the promotion’s illustrious history, holds the record in winning his last UFC fight at 47 years old.

Couture defeated boxing legend James Toney by submission in their fight at UFC 129, which would end up being the final fight of his career. Couture entered the UFC Hall of Fame in 2006.

Thompson will need to remain under contract for five more years to challenge Couture’s record. Despite his nasty injury, Thompson appears on the fast track to resuming his fighting activity level.