Stephen Thompson forced to disappoint fans asking for a fight against Michael 'Venom' Page - "I just became friends with this guy"

Stephen Thompson is set to face Michel Pereira in a welterweight bout at UFC 291 on July 29. The highly anticipated event will be held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Interestingly, Thompson's prowess as an exciting striker extends far beyond his division. Exciting discussions are underway about the potential clash of Bellator sensation, Michael 'Venom' Page, with Thompson in the octagon.

Fairly recently, the British kickboxer disclosed that he's currently a free agent. Following his presence on the UFC website and attendance at the UFC London event, discussions about the MVP's next move have become a popular subject of conversation on social media.

At the UFC 291 media day, Stephen Thompson responded to the speculation surrounding Page potentially joining his division in the future. He acknowledged the widespread belief that a matchup between the two talented fighters would undoubtedly deliver an action-packed spectacle on their feet:

"I just became friends with this guy, literally like a few months ago. We hung out for like, a whole weekend. It's like, 'Dude, why do they want me to fight you now?' It's understandable, karate vs. karate, right? It would be a fun match. But he's a good dude, man. I don't wanna say I would wanna fight him at this point because we've grown that relationship now."

Check out Stephen Thompson's comments below:

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Stephen Thompson feels displeased about Colby Covington getting the next welterweight title shot

Stephen Thompson recently shared his thoughts on the current welterweight division, particularly about Colby Covington's potential shot at the title. 'Wonderboy' isn't known for complaining about matchmaking, especially when he isn't directly involved.

'Wonderboy' believes that Belal Muhammad deserves the next title shot due to his 10-fight undefeated streak. On the other hand, Covington's recent record stands at 2-2 in his last four fights, including two losses in title bouts against Kamaru Usman.

During an interview with James Lynch, Thompson stated:

"I think it's crazy. I think there are definitely more guys that are more deserving. Belal Muhammad's on a crazy win streak. I mean the guy [Covington] gets a third shot at it for what? Because he beats one more guy? I don't know, I don't get it, I don't understand it."

Check out Thompson's comments below (from 9:39):