is of the long walk to the locker room for Warner following

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Losing is almost completely foreign to Stephen (Wonderboy) Thompson.The 31-year-old South Carolina native went 57-0 as a kickboxer, winning numerous titles. As a mixed martial artist, he has won nine of 10 fights.Thompson looks for MMA win No. 10 as he takes on Montreal welterweight Patrick (The Predator) Cote at UFC 178 in Las Vegas on Saturday night.Youll see some fireworks, Thompson predicted.A loss via decision to Matt (The Immortal) Brown at UFC 145 in April 2012 is the lone blemish on his record.Thompson (9-1) knocked out Dan Stittgen in his UFC debut 2 1/2 months earlier at UFC 143. Two days after the win, he got a call offering the Brown fight. He said yes, hiring a new strength and conditioning coach.Perhaps as a result, he bulked up to 209 pounds. That was heavy for Thomspon, who suffered through the weight cut to 170 pounds.Matt Brown did exactly what he said he was going to do, Thompson said with a laugh. He kicked my butt. But it was a war. I would love to do it again. Matt Browns a good dude and a great fighter. Hes made it up to the top and man, hes a monster.A knee injury sidelined Thompson for the next year. He has not lost since, beating Nah-Shon Burrell, Canadian Chris Clements (in Toronto), and Robert Whittaker. The knee problems started eight years ago during a fight against Raymond Daniels in Chuck Norris World Combat League. He tore every ligament in his left leg, had 40 per cent of his meniscus removed and underwent three surgeries.Doctors told him he would never fight again.It was rough, he said. Not just physically but mentally.In all he sat out three years, during which time he started leaning towards switching to MMA. His striking skills had already won him invitations to train with some of the best.At the time I was training with guys like Georges St-Pierre, Rashad Evans, Nate Marquardt. During this injury I had some time to kind of think about where I wanted to go with my fight career.Years later his knee rehab is still a daily affair but he says it feels good. And it hasnt seemed to affect his kicking arsenal or the corkscrew-somersault move that he celebrates wins with, although he says he had more celebratory moves before the injury.In the days leading up to this bout, Thompson managed to combine his training camp with teaching classes at the family gym, Upstate Karate in Simpsonville, S.C. The gym was opened 31 years ago by Ray Thompson, Stephens father. Stephen and his two brothers and two sisters all started their martial arts journey at the age of three.Now they run the business with almost 650 students. And Stephen fights.Stephen began with kempo karate. At 12, he put his jiu-jitsu and wrestling on hold to focus on kickboxing with his first amateur bout at 15.Today he is a fifth-degree black belt in kempo karate, a discipline that is a key part of his mixed martial arts attack.Thompson changes stances, darts in and out, and has a dizzying array of kicks. He is not easy to prepare for — or face.Thompson has ties to Montreal, having helped former UFC champion St-Pierre prepare for several fights.I love Montreal, Thompson said. I love the people, I love the history.Thompson sparred briefly with Cote (21-8) in 2008 before switching his focus to MMA.Its an honour to fight somebody like him, said Thompson, noting Cotes extensive resume. Hes gone three rounds with (former middleweight champion) Anderson Silva. Hes fought Tito Ortiz. Hes fought some of the greats in the UFC.Like Cote, Thompson has added to his arsenal. While known as strikers, both men have taken down opponents in recent bouts.But Thompson knows his bread and butter.Striking is what I do. Everybody wants to see somebody get knocked out, he said. Im sorry but its the fight game and thats what they want to see.Thompson has trained with Chris Weidman several times and the UFC middleweight champion returned the favour for the Cote camp.Thats just the kind of guy he is, said Thompson. Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter Wholesale NFL Jerseys . - For years William Gay kept quiet. Cheap Jerseys From China . The Nevada Athletic Commission voted unanimously in Las Vegas to quit granting therapeutic use exemptions for fighters undergoing the so-called TRT. http://www.cheapjerseysquality.us.com/. The top-ranked Spaniard won his fourth Madrid Open on Sunday after Kei Nishikori was forced to withdraw with a hip injury when trailing 2-6, 6-4, 3-0 in the final. And Nadal, who is coming off to uncharacteristic quarterfinal losses on clay, said his mental strength is still lacking just two weeks ahead of the French Open. Cheap NFL Jerseys China .The Los Angeles Lakers star passed Michael Jordan for third on the NBAs career scoring list Sunday night in a 100-94 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. China Jerseys Authentic . The midfielder had an operation on Saturday, and is set to miss seven Premier League games, the third round of the FA Cup and the semifinals of the League Cup.The old adage a week is a long time in politics will likely be ringing in Collen Warners ears as he made his way to join up with his new teammates at BMO Field Friday morning. For a player who started all nine league games this season, often out of his central midfield holding role to an attacking berth out on the flank, the last image Impact supporters are left with is of the long walk to the locker room for Warner following his red card against the MLS Champs last Saturday afternoon at Saputo Stadium. We all know how that game finished. A fifth league defeat in a season that appears to be getting further away from a club which is desperate to make amends for how their 2013 campaign ended. For a team that less than 72-hours earlier had lost to Edmonton, a team at the bottom of the NASL standings, the Sporting KC defeat compounded the misery that has engulfed the club. Joey Saputo let it be known changes would be coming. His tweet last Saturday was delivered even before the rest of Warners teammates had made it back to the safety of the locker room. Where they would discover Sunday morning training had been added to the weekly itinerary. Blake Smiths loan to NASLs Indy 11 announced Tuesday was a cue the club were on the search for a wide attacking midfielder. The splendid form to date of Justin Mapp has magnified how inadequate the teams options are on the wing, as did using Warner out wide. Trading for Nakajima-Farran immediately addresses this. Warner has faced undue criticism this season. When all he did was do what was asked of him. Used sparingly in a starting role by Schällibaum, his elevated playing role this term led to some even questioning the relationship between Warner and his head coach. Similar to April 4ths trade which saw Andrew Wenger depart for the Union, the consensus is that Impact Sporting Director, Nick De Santis has pulled off another favourable trade. The allocation money going Montreals way certainly sweetens the pot. Returning to league play Saturday evening after the bye week and on the back of Wednesdays fun and games in the return leg against Edmonton, provides the Impact with the chance to get only their second win of the season.dddddddddddd Worryingly Di Vaio, who spent Wednesday evening watching the game from the pitch stood just behind the Impact bench, has still not fully recovered from a hamstring strain which he first suffered back on April 19th in the away game against Sporting KC. He is doubtful for the game in DC. A game which will reunite the Impact with their old club captain Davy Arnaud, whose contact was not renewed by the Impact at the conclusion of last season. Revitalized since DC acquired him, Arnaud has played a significant part for a club that is only two wins away from surpassing their entire point total from the 2013 season. Not one who would ever describe himself as the most gifted technically, the Impact has certainly missed his tireless work rate. Arnauds dedication to the cause is a clear illustration of something else the team has sorely lacked as the Impact sit firmly rooted to bottom place in the conference. Another player who will not lack in motivation Saturday is Eddie Johnson, who was spurned by Jürgen Klinsmann when he announced a 30-man USMNT World Cup roster on Monday. Johnson more than anyone will not need reminding of his eight game scoreless run since been traded from Seattle to DC is hardly the form befitting of a player who scored many crucial goals during World Cup qualification. DC, who overhauled their squad in the off season following a woeful 2013, is the surprise package in the league this season and would signify a significant scalp for the Impact. To do so the Impact will certainly have to overcome the set piece jitters which have plagued them all season. Defensively they will have to be as they were in their solitary win so far and Justin Mapp will have to yet again carry the attacking threat. On Wednesday evening at Saputo Stadium just before kickoff rather aptly a "Through Thick and Thin" banner was unveiled in the stands. Patience has been tested, perseverance is now required. Noel.Butler@BellMedia.ca @TheSoccerNoel DC United Vs Montreal Impact live on TSN690 [TSN690.ca] Saturday. Kick Off 7:00pm – Rick Moffat [@RickMoffat] and Grant Needham [@GrantNeedham] with your call. Wholesale NFL Jerseys ' ' '