UFC veteran Muslim "King of Kung Fu" Salikhov prepares for UFC Abu Dhabi fight against Carlos Leal, wants potential fight with Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson.
Kung Fu vs. Karate in UFC? Muslim "King of Kung Fu" Salikhov Wants Epic Martial Arts Showdown Against Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Russian welterweight veteran Muslim Salikhov, also known by his nickname “King of Kung Fu”, has built his name in the UFC as an exciting action-fighter known for his spinning kicks and unorthodox Wushu-based offense. As a multiple-time Sanda world champion, he and other Sanda-based fighters have proven that the kung fu combat sport is a viable disciplinary base for MMA.
He faces welterweight Carlos Leal at UFC: Whittaker vs. De Ridder in Abu Dhabi this weekend on July 26. The 41-year-old Sanda specialist enters the bout as a sizable underdog but remains confident in his striking prowess.
Beyond this fight, Salikhov has a bigger goal in mind. In an interview with Farah Hannoun of MMA Junkie, he revealed that he is interested in a striking fan’s dream matchup against karate specialist Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson.
Watch the full interview here:
"I don't care that he's unranked now. I think I'd like to fight with him since my first win in the UFC,” Salikhov admitted. “I called him out, and he didn't hear. I don't know why. I do a lot of knockouts, beautiful fights, but he still doesn't want to fight.”
Thompson, a former UFC title challenger who gained notoriety for his kickboxing pedigree, has struggled recently with three straight losses. At the age of 42, his name still carries weight in the promotion, making this an appealing matchup for hardcore and casual fans alike.
“This guy (is) very famous in America, so it's a good fight for anyone. We can see whose kung fu is better. He's a striker, karate guy. I'm kung fu. We can understand who's better now. He's (42) years young guy, me too... We can try. It's going to be a good fight, exciting for fans.”
A potential Kung Fu vs. Karate clash between Salikhov and Thompson would be a striking purist’s delight and has the potential to give fans a fight that looks like it came straight out of a martial arts movie.
First, Salikhov must get past Leal, a Muay Thai specialist with knockout power of his own.
"It's a very tough fight for everybody because this guy is strong, good chin, all the time going forward, trying to pressure," he told Hannoun. "If he's just going to try to do striking with me, I'll knock him out for sure.”
If he can pull off the upset in Abu Dhabi, expect another loud callout aimed at Thompson. Hopefully, he can finally force Dana White's or any UFC matchmaker's hand in booking this unique striker’s duel.
Related: Former UFC Heavyweight Rejuvenates Career With 7-Second KO
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 23, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
