Nick Thompson signs with Strikeforce

Thompson tops Daley

Nick "The Goat" Thompson used his superior ground skills to earn a hard fought victory over Paul "Semtex" Daley at MFC 20.

Thompson used effective counter-punching throughout the fight and when the fight moved to the ground Daley could do nothing to stop the attack.

Two judges scored the fight 29-28 for Thompson and the third had it 30-27.

The only moment where Daley did any damage was late into the second round when an over-hand right hit Thompson in the back of the head. A stunned Thompson fell to the mat, but Daley was unable to finish the fight. For Daley, it was enough to win the round on two judges scorecards, but not the fight.

Thompson, who just passed the bar exam, improved his record to 38-10-1. Daley fell to 19-8-2.

Nick Thompson Talks MFC, Paul Daley

From http://www.maximumfighting.com
By: Keith Mills - Feb 19, 2009

UFC vet Nick Thompson has made huge sacrifices fighting while working his way through law school but the rewards have been worth it. Having recently passed the bar exam and going about as far as he could fighting in Russia, Costa Rica, and Japan one might think it is time to hang up the gloves to settle down with his wife. Not the case for Nick as he travels to Alberta this weekend to fight fellow EliteXC vet Paul Daley in MFC live on HDNet.

KM: How did you get involved with MFC?

NT: (Derrick) Noble was there first. He is my teammate. Mark treated him
well so I was interested in fighting there. When EliteXC folded I was
talking about fighting Alessio but they signed Daley for that fight. Daley
is somebody I'd love to fight; he is the number one striker in my weight
class. There is Thiago Alves but I think I'd give it to Daley in just
striking. Once I knew they had Daley I called Mark about this show about
being on this card.

KM: Strikeforce picked up many of the old EliteXC contracts and the rest
seemed to go to KOTC. What is your contract situation with all that?

NT: I still have fights left on that deal but non-exclusive. Until they tell
me otherwise I'm not fighting for them. If they call me up and tell me they
have a fight for me, great. Until I hear from them I'm assuming they are
done. I just had an attorney look at the contract. The days of just signing
your name and trusting the promoter have come and gone. I have people
looking over every contract I do.

KM: Where are you in your law school degree?

NT: I'm all done. I took the bar two days after I fought Jake Shields and
passed.

KM: Is this an area of law you are interested in getting in?

NT: Very much so. In fact I talked to people who represent Brock Lesnar
among others about possibly doing work for them.

KM: To what degree are you concentrating on being a fighter as opposed to
being a lawyer?

NT: I've only interviewed for a job but am fully open to possibilities, even
going so far as to hang up fighting and just doing law. Something in-between
is great but I sacrifice a lot in order to fight and it would be nice to go
to a buffet with my wife. It would be nice for the fighters to have somebody
who has been in their shoes and knows what they are dealing with as well as
know the law.

KM: What do you think about fighting Paul Daley?

NT: I'm really excited. As I said I think he is the number one striker at
170 pounds. The only reason to fight is to test yourself against the best
guys. I fought the best jiu-jitsu guy in the weight class Jake Shields and
now fighting the best striker. I'm excited.

KM: How is preparation for this fight different than for Eddie Alvarez?

NT: I don't know if it is a whole lot different. I have to be a little more
wary of his kicks as his kicks are a little more dangerous than Eddie's but
it is going to be the same kind of fight where I need to be ready to use
good footwork to stay away because if you stay in range he can knock you
out.

KM: Do you anticipate this fight going to the ground?

NT: I hope it goes to the ground. I feel I have an edge there. Paul may not
be a real great wrestler when you have the striking ability he has it
doesn't open up the takedowns because you have to worry about defending the
strikes. He took down John Alessio so there is the possibility he might be
taking me down.

KM: What did you think of his fight against Jake Shields?

NT: I thought he had a really good gameplan. I think he knew Jake was better
than him on the ground and rather than make a mistake where I did trying to
out-jiu-jitsu Jake he just said 'fine, you are on top of me and you are
going to hit me a little bit but eventually the ref is going to stand us
back up and I'm going to have another change to knock you out'. I think it
was a great strategy that didn't work for him but a good idea. It showed he
is a very smart fighter.

KM: That is the first time Jake looked bad.

NT: He realized Jake is not a real active fighter on top. He waits for the
bottom guy to move and then submits them just like he did with me.

KM: Tell us about your fight with Jake.

NT: I'm still disappointed. It is heartbreaking anytime you put that much
work into getting ready for a fight and then not only lose but lose in a
minute on national television. I know I'm a much better fighter than that.
That being said I think it is what MMA is all about. I overestimated my
jiu-jitsu ability; Jake saw me make a mistake and capitalized. It was an
excellent gameplan by him and what jiu-jitsu and fighting and MMA in general
is all about. It was a mistake he saw me do on tape. I didn't know better at
the time and Jake knew better and exploited it. We have been working hard at
the gym and it is not going to happen ever again.

KM: Since then you picked up a win over Travis McCullough in Madtown
Throwdown. Tell us about that fight.

NT: Not a huge deal. He is a forty-fight veteran and more than anything I
wanted to get back in the ring and knock off some rust before I fight
someone like Daley, more than anything a preparation for Daley. I took him
down and ground-and-pounded him. He tapped out to punches.

KM: At Extreme Challenge in New Jersey you were cornering Nat McIntyre. Any
sense of distraction that you were there during your own training cycle?

NT: No. Nat is our striking coach, one of the best American Muay Thai
strikers. Being out there with him was exactly what I needed, like I would
hold pads for him. It was a little bit of role reversal but we are pretty
good about coaching each other in the gym.

KM: How have you changed since your fight in EliteXC?

NT: Nothing really changed, just improved.

KM: Anything else to get across to the fans?

NT: I just want to get back to my winning ways. Losing sucks.

KM: Brock Larson from your team and weight class is fighting in the UFC. How
has he helped prepare you for Daley?

NT: We are always training together. Everybody at the gym helps each other.

KM: How would you describe Brock Lesnar's training at this time?

NT: I've really been impressed with Brock since the day he came in. There is
always the size people talk about but what really impressed me is he is
willing to learn. He came in like a black slate saying 'teach me'. When you
get somebody that athletic and then has that attitude they are unstoppable.
I think if you want to complain about him getting a title shot that is a
fair complaint because he was 1-1 at that point but at the point he beat
Randy Couture he obviously deserves to be there.

KM: What is your opinion of Derrick Noble vs. Antonio McKee on this same
card?

NT: Well I hope it isn't boring because if it is boring it means McKee won.
Derrick and McKee are definitely top-level guys. McKee is just really
boring. You want to win on the one hand but still want to make it exciting
and doing that against McKee is going to be tough. Noble can knock you out
so easily with one punch and with McKee it looks like Derrick is going to
get at least five chances to do that.

KM: Sponsors to thank?

NT: Tapout, Gamma-O, MMA Warehouse, and Calio Shoes

Thompson speaks to FiveOuncesOfPain.com

Nick Thompson: To fight or not to fight, that is the question
February 16, 2009 by Cory Brady

Self admittedly, Nick “The Goat” Thompson has come a very long way in his mixed martial arts career since the days when he had to pay $10 just to get a scrap at his local bar. The powerful 170 pounder recently put together a twelve fight win streak against some of the sports toughest competition and is widely known as one of the best welterweights in the business.

Thompson has plenty of reasons to be proud of his accomplishments in mixed martial arts and he currently has a very good reason to be proud of what he has been able to accomplish outside of the sport. Thompson’s most recent victory came as far away from the ring as one could imagine.

Thompson recently passed the Minnesota state bar exam and a career in law is inevitable once he decides he has accomplished all that he could in the game. The question for Thompson at this point in his career is when to make that formal crossover which would most likely include his departure from the sport that he has grown to love.

In an exclusive interview with www.FiveOuncesOfPain.com, Thompson admitted that even he doesn’t hold the answer to how long he will continue to fight with a promising career in law staring him right in his face. The answer to that question may very well lie in how successful or unsuccessful he is at Sengoku’s upcoming welterweight tournament.

Will the tournament be the last time we see the one that is known as “The Goat’ in action or will it just be the turning of a page in the distinguished career of Thompson? Time will tell.

Thompson will make those decisions when that time comes but for now he has his tunnel vision and all he can see is Paul Daley. The two have a date with destiny when they face off on February 20 at “MFC 20: Destined for Greatness.” Which of the talented welterweights will truly be destined for greatness will be determined by the bouts outcome in what will surely be an action filled contest between two of the divisions most dangerous competitors.

Cory Brady: Congratulations on passing the Minnesota state bar exam. That’s an amazing accomplishment. When did you decide that you wanted to pursue a career in law?

Nick Thompson: I have a BA in philosophy and think law is philosophy’s practical application. It seemed like a natural progression once I finished college.

Cory Brady: Which specific area of law do you plan on practicing in?

Nick Thompson: I enjoy tax, contracts and sports law. If I were to represent fighters and other athletes, it would allow me to practice all three areas. That would be ideal.

Cory Brady: Do you have plans to leave fighting for law anytime soon or do you see yourself fighting for many years to come?

Nick Thompson: After the Shields loss, I pondered moving to other areas. I sacrifice a lot in order to be at my best in mixed martial arts and I do not know how much longer I am willing to make those sacrifices. Sengoku has a welterweight tournament later this year and my future plans may turn on the outcome of my performance there.

Cory Brady: This is going to be your second fight in as many months. Do you have plans to stay busy in 2009?

Nick Thompson: I find it easier to train when I have a concrete goal. I want to fight as often as possible. I would fight 12 times a year if I could.

Cory Brady: How are you feeling physically heading into your fight with Paul Daley?

Nick Thompson: Despite being really disappointed in my performance on CBS, it was a god send as far as training. I don’t know what has gotten into me but I am tearing it up in the practice room. Hopefully that will carry over into the ring.

Cory Brady: Who are some of the key people that have been helping you to prepare for this one?

Nick Thompson: Sean Sherk, Derrick Noble, Jacob Volkman and Nik Lentz have been my main training partners. Nat McIntyre and Greg Nelson have been my primary coaches.

Cory Brady: What are some of the areas you have been focusing on in the gym since your bout with Jake Shields?

Nick Thompson: Not getting choked.

Cory Brady: How do you feel you match up with Daley?

Nick Thompson: Paul is scary on the feet but I feel like I should be able to hold my own with him there. If I can make the stand-up portion of the fight competitive, I think it will be easier to get it to the ground where I believe I have a distinct advantage.

Cory Brady: What do you think will be some of your key advantages over Daley?

Nick Thompson: I think my ability to utilize my jiu-jitsu and wrestling will determine whether I succeed in this fight.

Cory Brady: Are you going to be looking to get this fight to the ground as soon as possible or will you be confident trading with Daley?

Nick Thompson: I am going to try and stand but everyone says that until they get hit. Once I am hit, we will see what happens.

Cory Brady: When I spoke with Daley recently, he was quick to point out your win over Eddie Alvarez who is very similar to him in size and style somewhat. Do your wins over guys like Neer, Alvarez and Weir give you a certain level of confidence going into this fight with Daley?

Nick Thompson: It is nice to know that you have beaten guys who are at your opponents level but come fight time, those wins won’t do anything for me. I have to show up and be at my best or else I will be sorely disappointed in the result.

Cory Brady: Not looking past Paul Daley at all but would you like to have another fight with Jake Shields at some point down the road?

Nick Thompson: Yes. My goal is to improve until I am the better fighter. I won’t know if I have reached that goal unless I earn another fight with Jake.

Cory Brady: Everyone knows the story as to how you got your nickname but you definitely don’t have the same problem that you used to. Would you attribute that to developing a stronger chin or to not getting hit as much?

Nick Thompson: Both. I am more used to getting hit and also more knowledgeable about how to avoid being hit.

Cory Brady: I have to tell you, I’m a huge fan of the neck beard. Have you had enough time to establish a good neck beard for this upcoming fight or will you opt to go with the balding old man haircut?

Nick Thompson: No. I probably will come in clean cut. Sorry to disappoint.

Cory Brady: Is there anyone that you would like to thank?

Nick Thompson: As always, I would like to thank everyone at MMAA. I would also like to thank TapouT, MMA Warehouse, Gamma-O and Calio shoes for supporting me.

Thompson wins in Madison

Nick "The Goat" Thompson made his return to the Madtown Throwdown promotion last night and came away with an easy 1st round victory. Thompson faced fellow Minnesota fighter Travis McCullough and won by submission due to strikes at 2:38 of the first round.

After taking the fight to the ground, Thompson tried to end the fight with a submission. Thompson eventually took the back of McCullough and forced the tapout with several strikes to the head.

Madtown Throwdown 18. You can watch the Thompson fight here around the 1 hour, 58 minute mark of the video.
Free video streaming by Ustream
Thompson will now put his focus on his next fight, which will be against one of the top welterweights in the world in Paul "Semtex" Daley. They will face off at MFC 20 on February 20 in Edmonton, Alberta. The event will be broadcast live on HDNet.

Thompson to fight in Madison

Local welterweight Nick "The Goat" Thompson will make his fifth appearance for the "Madtown Throwdown" promotion on January 17. Thompson (36-10-1) will headline the promotion's eighteenth installment, taking place at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in the Alliant Energy Center, against an opponent to be determined.

Thompson recently lost to Jake Shields via guillotine choke submission at EliteXC "Unfinished Business" on July 26. The loss, with the EliteXC welterweight title on the line, snapped a 12-fight win streak.

Prior to the EliteXC fight, Thompson fought twice in Japan for the WVR "Sengoku" promotion, defeating Fabricio Monteiro (17-7) and Michael Costa (9-4).

Thompson falls to Shields

Nick Thompson fell in his bid to become the first EliteXC Welterweight Champion as Jake Shields won by 1st round submission. The fight was featured on the second CBS show on July 26.

Shields (21-4-1) took Thompson to the mat early in the fight and eventually sunk in a deep guillotine chock to force the submission at 1:03 of the first round.

Thompson, the one and only ever BodogFIGHT Welterweight Champion, saw his record fall to 36-10-1. It was his first fight for the EliteXC promotion after fighting in Japan his previous two fights.

EliteXC weigh-in

Thanks to www.combatlifestyle.com for the photo of Thompson and Shields.

Thompson to batle for EliteXC title

Photo taken from www.nickthompson.tv

Minnesota welterweight fighter Nick "The Goat" Thompson will return to the U.S. on July 26 to fight Jake Shields for the vacant EliteXC championship. It will be the second prime time show broadcast by CBS.

Thompson (36-9-1) is riding a 12-fight winning streak, including his past two in Japan for the Sengoku promotion. A recent law school graduate at the University of Minnesota, Thompson trains at Greg Nelson's Minnesota Martial Arts Academy with top fighters like Sean Sherk, Brock Larson, & Brock Lesnar. He currently resides in Robbinsdale.

A verteran of Shooto, Rumble On The Rock, & Gladiator Challenge, Shields (20-4-1) is considered one of the top 10 welterweights in the world by many rankings. Currently Sherdog and MMA Weekly has Shields at #7. WAMMA has Shields ranked #3 in the world, just behind Georges St. Pierre and Jon Fitch.

Thompson defends title in Las Vegas

10 in a row for The Goat. University of Minnesota Law student Nick Thompson defeated current HOOKnSHOOT middleweight champion John Troyer (8-1) last night to retain his bodogFIGHT welterweight title.

Despite suffering an early broken nose, Thompson (34-9-1) eventually took Troyer to the mat and submitted him with a rear naked choke at 3:46 of the first round.

Thompson had indicated earlier that this was his last fight under his current bodogFIGHT contract. He stated that he has received offers from World Victory Road, Hardcore Championship Fighting as well as bodogFIGHT.

"The Goat" to defend title in Las Vegas

Nick "The Goat" Thompson (39-8-1) will put his bodogFIGHT welterweight title on the line against undefeated John Troyer (8-0) on February 1. The fight will be in Las Vegas.

Thompson is coming off a shoulder injury that sidelined him from giving a rematch to former champion Eddie Alvarez at a November HOOKnSHOOT show in Indiana.

Troyer, fighting out of Louisville, made a name for himself by finishing three opponents in one night on September 29 to win the HOOKnSHOOT middleweight title.

Thompson defeats Weir for bodogFIGHT Vancouver series

BodogFIGHT welterweight champion Nick Thompson recently fought MMA veteran Mark Weir (18-14) in Vancouver for the upcoming season of BodogFIGHT on ION television.

Thompson (33-9-1) easily dismantled the veteran from England, winning by TKO at just 4:01 of the first round.

Weir is a veteran of the UFC, WEC, Cage Rage, and several other major MMA promotions. He has fought several top fighters in the world like Ninja Rua, Denis Kang, Akira Shoji, Matt Lindland, and Jorge Rivera. Weir most recently lost to Paul Daley (16-6-2) for the Cage Rage welterweight title in Septemer.

Thompson is new bodogFIGHT welterweight champ

Nick "The Goat" Thompson became the new BodogFIGHT welterweight champion on April 14, 2007 in St. Petersberg, Russia. Thompson (32-9-1) defeated former champ Eddie Alvarez (10-1) by knockout at 4:32 of the second round. Alvarez had won all 10 of his previous fights, including eight by knockout and two submissions.

A former college wrestler at Wisconsin (2000-02), Thompson currently trains at Minnesota Martial Arts Academy in Brooklyn Center. Thompson also attends the University of Minnesota Law School in Minneapolis.

The pay-per-view event was the second ever for BodogFight and featured the widely recognized pound-for-pound #1 ranked fighter Fedor Emelianenko (Russia) defeating Matt Lindland (Oregon City, OR).