The glass is always half full where Stephen Thompson is concerned.The former kickboxing champion turned UFC welterweight title hunter looks for the positive in all things, and this especially rings true in matters where things haven't materialized how he'd hoped or planned for them to go.It's in those moments the South Carolina native realizes the drive that carried him from winning youth karate tournaments to becoming one of the best 170-pound mixed martial artists on the planet is still very much intact."I see people in this game take their first loss and their second loss, and you see what it does to them mentally and emotionally," Thompson told FloCombat. "I feel kind of bad for them to be honest. Maybe they don't have the right people around them."I didn't get where I'm at on my own. I've had to learn to do it this way, but I surround myself with positive people and good people who bring you back up after suffering defeat like I have or going through injury. You have to have people around you who can teach you the mindset you need to have, and I do, so that's why I always take the positives from things."Photo Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY SportsWhen faced with the reality of being edged out by champion Tyron Woodley in back-to-back showings -- and suffering a knee injury in the process --Thompson has continued to hold his head high, because having the welterweight title strapped around his waist is still the ultimate goal. Now it's just one the 34-year-old striking phenom will have to work a bit harder to reach.And that's just fine because there's never been a fear of hard work in the Thompson family."I still have my sights on that title, man. I'm going to get there, and it could be against Tyron Woodley or someone else," Thompson said. "Whoever has the belt, that is the guy I'm gunning for. I was very disappointed in myself in that last fight. Some people thought I won it, but to myself I knew I could have done a lot more than what I showed that day."Even though I'm on the injured list, I'm back in the gym working on things to try to make sure that doesn't happen again."I'm always looking at the bright side of things," he added. "What happened is in the past and I can't go back and change it. All I can do is move forward and put in the work to make sure whoever I face when it comes to fight for that title I'll be out there to perform at my best. I'll be out there to finish."In order to get back in the running for a shot at the welterweight crown, Thompson will need to knock off another top contender, and he has one in mind in Jorge Masvidal.The American Top Team representative went on a tear to reach the division's upper tier, but a loss to grappling ace Demain Maia in his most recent outing at UFC 211 back in May now has "Gamebred" looking for a high-profile matchup as well.Both fighters have verbally agreed to mix it up inside the Octagon, but Thompson needs to receive medical clearance on his knee before anything can move toward becoming official. That said, "Wonderboy" believes fans will get what they want to see between the two before the end of 2017.Photo Credit: © Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports"That's the plan," Thompson said. "It's a fight the UFC and fans would be interested in. We kind of agreed to it verbally because I'm still on the injured list because of my knee and haven't gotten the green light from the doctor yet. It feels great to walk on and I can move angles, but I can't kick and sink my kick in very well. I feel some pain in my MCL area when I do that, but I think that's normal for where we are at."This is something Masvidal has been pushing for as well. He's ranked No. 4 and wants to work his way up. I want to fight someone in the top five, so for me that's great. Robbie Lawler has a fight, I don't think Carlos Condit is fighting and Demian Maia has the next title shot, so it looks like the only guy I would be looking to fight is Masvidal. It just makes sense."The potential matchup between Thompson and Masvidal has all the makings to be an incredible fight should it come to fruition. The former welterweight title challenger works at range and closes the distance with precision shots, while Masvidal is more than happy to close distance himself to incite a dogfight.The stylistic pairing alone would force fight fans to mark the date on their calendars, and it's that type of guaranteed excitement that has Thompson looking to bring the bout to reality."This would be a barnburner, and those are the type of fights I like to put on because that's what the fans love to see," Thompson said. "I expect to see Jorge Masvidal standing there and not backing up like we saw of my opponent in the last few fights. But he's a strategist, so we have to go out there prepared. That's something I have to watch out for.Photo Credit: © Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports"At the top of the game, man...you see so many get to the top of the game and get comfortable where they are at. They stop progressing in their skills stylistically and they are not studying fights. They just settle there, and that's not who I am, and I know that's not who Jorge is. It would be a very cool fight if the UFC decides to put that on."It's nothing we've talked to the UFC about yet and have just kind of verbally agreed to do it," he added. "I'm still waiting on the OK from the doctor."While Thompson waits to get the official word on the medical front, he's continued to sharpen the tools he can use inside the gym. He's putting in the work because that's what championship dreams demand, and knows in the very near future the next step on his path back to a title shot will materialize.When it does, the push will resume full force, and Thompson is hoping Masvidal is the obstacle he'll need to face to get through."By the end of the year the fans will see Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson again," he said. "There are a lot of fans who always ask when I'm getting back out there. I just want to let them know I'm waiting on the doctor's approval and then I'm back out there. They'll definitely see me out there by the end of the year and hopefully it's against Jorge Masvidal."