NEW YORK – Charles Radtke isn't fighting someone in his backyard this week – a scenario he's become accustomed to in his career.
But the welterweight still will feel like the B-side when he steps in against a two-time title challenger and longtime UFC gatekeeper who is heading into retirement. Stephen Thompson will hang up his gloves at UFC 334 on Saturday at Madison Square Garden. And to go along with the support he's likely to get from the fans just by virtue of them wanting to send him into retirement with a win, he has the bonus of three previous fights at MSG, where he's 2-0-1.
That's fine, Radtke (12-5 MMA, 5-2 UFC) said. For the chance to fight Thompson (17-9-1 MMA, 12-9-1 UFC), he'll deal.
"I like being the underdog and having the boos
versus the cheers, so this is completely cool for me," Radtke said Wednesday at media day. "I think that Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ has a great understanding of the position of being the good guy, and then me being the bad guy. But f*ck it – whatever.
"I think it's natural (that I became the bad guy). Everybody has their fuel. I'm the younger brother, and so you always had that chip on your shoulder. (The older brother is) always whooping everybody's ass, and so then for me, I had to earn my stripes. Because of that, I always come in with the chip on my shoulder. I always feel like people are thinking that I'm going to lose, so it's just fitting for me."
Thompson will hang up his gloves after a UFC career that stretches back to 2012. But the road's been bumpy the past five years with five losses in six fights.
But Radtke said "Wonderboy" should get his proverbial flowers.
"I think, honestly: Focus on him. Give him his time. He's earned it. He's earned the fact that he's in this position," Radtke said. "He's fought plenty of times (at MSG), so I'm completely OK with that. I'm coming in there – like I said, I jerk off and I fight. That's all I do. I'm here for one reason. I'm here to compete. I'm not focused on the post-fight speech. I'm not focused on anything. I'm focused on that process of what that looks like.
"There's a lot of emotions heading into it because this is his retirement fight. This is not my retirement fight. This is my opportunity to provide for my family."
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Charles Radtke: Feel free to focus on 'Wonderboy' Thompson at UFC 334
