Conor McGregor shares a three-word reaction as Stephen Thompson looks slick "back in the lab"

Conor McGregor has shared kind words to UFC welterweight striker extraordinaire Stephen Thompson, who recently posted an Instagram clip of him in a light sparring session. 'Wonderboy' hasn't set foot inside the octagon since a late 2023 loss to the unbeaten Shavkat Rakhmonov.

Despite his best efforts, Thompson fell to a second-round submission, courtesy of the Kazakh phenom. Now, however, he seems intent on returning for yet another fight, as he looked mobile and sharp in the footage. When fans can expect his return though, remains unknown, as there is no word on his next bout.

Check out Stephen Thompson's recent training footage:

The clip drew McGregor to the comments section, with 'The Notorious' praising the optics of Thompson's striking.

"Lovely work Stephen!"

A screenshot of Conor McGregor's praise of Stephen Thompson

While Thompson is eager to return to welterweight title contention, it is unlikely given his 1-3 run of form in his last four fights. Moreover, 'Wonderboy' is now 41 and ranked #9 at the bottom of the top 10. Given that he has already fought for the title twice to no avail, Thompson will have to author quite a win streak.

One matchup that seems to be of significant interest is a clash with fellow striking master Michael 'Venom' Page, who is coming off a competitive majority decision loss to unbeaten Irishman Ian Machado Garry. The two men have been linked to a potential fight ever since 'MVP's' debut.

However, due to the healthy respect between the pair and Page's own belief that a resulting matchup would not be entertaining, it hasn't been pushed by either man.

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Conor McGregor and Stephen Thompson have trained together before

Conor McGregor, like Stephen Thompson, is a highly regarded striker in MMA, having captured the UFC featherweight and lightweight titles during his prime years. Thus, it should come as no surprise that the two men have actually trained together, albeit briefly.

Check out Conor McGregor training with Stephen Thompson:

Footage of them sharing their martial arts knowledge made the rounds on social media last year, with 'The Notorious' having picked 'Wonderboy's' brain ahead of his still expected clash with former three-time Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler.

The McGregor-Chandler bout, however, has not yet come to fruition, as the Irishman recently withdrew from UFC 303 due to a toe injury.