There are only a handful of fighters who have competed at a high level in the UFC after crossing the 40-year mark, but Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson knows he is more than just a number.

A perennial top-10 welterweight contender, Thompson returns to UFC 307 to fight Joaquin Buckley. After celebrating his 41st birthday earlier this year, he inevitably gets asked how much longer he wants to fight. While that may be a natural oddity given his age, Thompson promises he’s not going anywhere after October 5 but back to his gym to begin training for his next UFC appearance.

“People look down on me because I’m 41,” Thompson told MMA Fighting. “I feel as good at 41 as I did at 25. I don’t have any crazy injuries. I’m smart with my training. I’m just as fast. Just as smart. I’m improving in every aspect of the game.”

Perhaps the better question for Thompson is not how much longer he has to fight, but rather what goals he wants to pursue in the future.

Thompson has fought for a UFC title twice and has never shied away from going for gold again, but his drive these days doesn’t necessarily depend on whether he becomes champion or not.

It may sound trite, but he prefers to take a holistic approach to his career these days rather than letting a single goal take precedence.

“The title is always there, but I think at this age and the more I’ve trained and seen champions and their mindset, the goal is to keep improving in training,” Thompson said. “My test for that is fighting in the UFC, fighting these guys, the best of the best in the world, and that’s where I get my fame from.

“I train, I’m a lifelong martial artist, I’m constantly trying to get better and my test is to fight the best in the world.”

When fighters get a little older, UFC CEO Dana White usually often mentions some variation of the phrase that “Father Time is undefeated” and that age eventually catches up with everyone.

That probably strikes fear into many athletes, but Thompson isn’t one of them.

“I like being 41 and being in the UFC,” Thompson said with a smile. “It’s cool to have people who are on the same card as you asking for an autograph. There was a point where I was in the UFC and no one wanted my autograph, not even fighters, not even fans.

“Now it’s gotten to the point where fighters who have made a name for themselves in the UFC are asking for my autograph. Are you kidding me? I think it’s the coolest thing in the world. So they look at me as a veteran, but not just one, but one of the best.”

Before his fight at UFC 307 was booked, Thompson was actually given a pretty hilarious nickname that sounds like it was related to his age after he met Buckley and a former opponent at UFC 303 in June.

“During International Fight Week, (Joaquin Buckley) was begging for (the fight),” Thompson explained. “He said, ‘Wonderboy,’ let’s do this.” It was funny because Kevin Holland was there too and Kevin Holland called Joaquin Buckley his son. (He said) “No, son,” and then he came up to me and said, “Yo, Grandpa.” I think, Grandpa?

“He says, ‘You hit me and I hit him so you can’t fight the grandson.’ I was like, ‘Oh my God,’ they made me laugh.”

Since moving up to welterweight, Buckley is currently on a four-fight winning streak and is itching to get a higher-ranked opponent, and Thompson became his target. Although he never backs down from a challenge, Thompson has seen many fighters in his position forego such outings because they had no interest in opponents ranked below them in the top 15.

Thompson never understood that mentality, especially after having to take the same path when entering the UFC and needing quality opponents to give him a chance to prove himself. Now he’s doing the same for Buckley.

“With someone like him, I never wavered from someone challenging me,” Thompson said. “I always love giving the guys who aren’t in the top 10 a chance to move up. Just like the Jake Ellenbergers did for me, the Rory MacDonalds and the Johny Hendricks did for me. I wasn’t even in the top 10 when these guys offered me an offer and they took it.

“There are so many guys in the welterweight division now who are trying to keep their spot and not give any of these other guys a chance. I was given a chance. Now it’s my turn to go back and give these guys a chance to compete and try to get this title and earn it.”