Josh Thomson

      There was talk of a belt. And then there wasn’t. Although they might be hesitant to admit it, it’s been a tough year for the UFC lightweights, maybe more so for Josh Thomson and Yves Edwards who meet this Saturday at UFC 49 for a non-title bout. Amidst a swirl of rumors and hypotheticals, Thomson and Edwards became the frontrunners for the vacant lightweight title when they both tallied consecutive wins in the promotion. In the end, though, the rumors were simply that– just rumors.
      "It’s not so much disappointment," says Thomson of the absence of a championship opportunity. "It’s more frustrated," he let’s out with a wholehearted sigh, pointing out that others that have won twice in the Octagon are now going on to fight for the gold in their third appearances with the promotion.
      Like countless hopefuls before him, a UFC title has been in Thomson’s sights for quite some time. Since taking up fighting in 1998 with some friends while wrestling at Idaho State College, Thomson rose through the ranks with his innate athleticism and aggressive "go anywhere" style both standing and on the mats. With notable performances against SHOOTO and K-1 staple "Kid" Yamamoto and most recently versus American Top Team’s Hermes Franca at UFC 46, Thomson has amassed an impressive 25-1-1 record in mixed martial arts, establishing himself as one of the more multi-talented candidates the division has to offer. 2-0 in the UFC, a shot at the title seems hardly far fetched for the one dubbed "the Punk" for his wild antics outside the cage.