Stephen Thompson is set to return against Belal Muhammad at UFC Vegas 45 on Saturday. The fight is an opportunity for him to get back in the hunt for a title shot. Kamaru Usman is currently the ruler of the welterweight division.

It would have to start off by beating a tough test like Belal Muhammad first at UFC Vegas 45. Then Stephen Thompson would have the right momentum to eventually face the champion.

“A good win over Belal Muhammad, I could be right there for another title shot,” Thompson told MMA Junkie at UFC Fight Night 199 media day. “You can’t keep feeding the same guys to Kamaru Usman. A good win over Belal, maybe another fight, we’ll be looking at another title shot. I’m not giving up on it.”

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Kamaru Usman has obviously improved greatly and the UFC welterweight champion has a better kickboxing game than in the past. Something he would need to use against Stephen Thompson.

“This guy’s improved more than anybody I’ve seen,” Thompson said. “Not just with his wrestling, but with the striking, knocking out one of the best strikers in the division in Jorge Masvidal. Knocking out with a jab, Gilbert Burns. This guy, you see his improvement, which makes it that much more exciting to want to test yourself against somebody like that. It would be an honor just to do that just to fight him.”

UFC Vegas 45 will help see if Stephen Thompson has another title run left in him. The Karate master has gotten close many times but hasn't quite been able to beat the champion despite close fights a few years ago.