Nick "The Goat" Thompson has the most important week of his life ahead of him. That statement could actually be the understatement of the century.
First, his five plus years in the professional mixed martial arts fight game will reach its pinnacle on Saturday night as he faces Jake Shields for the vacant Elite XC welterweight world title at "Unfinished Business" on CBS in front of millions across the nation.
Next, "The Goat" will attempt to reach a crescendo as a scholar as well. In fact, just two days after the biggest test of his career inside the cage he'll tackle the biggest test of his life outside of it -- the Minnesota Bar Examination.
It's a much different yet equally intimidating opponent. In fact, it's almost unimaginable to think that Thompson could -- in a 48-hour period -- become a world champion in mixed martial arts and a licensed Minnesota state attorney of law.
If anyone is capable of pulling of the Triple Lindy-esque feat, however, it is Nick Thompson.
If you look back at his professional MMA record he has 46 fights to his credit. That means he has fought on average about once every five or six weeks since his debut. And let's not forget he's won 36 of those bouts, including 20 of his last 21.
That's insane work ethic with a ridiculous success rate.
Either this guy isn't human or he's just physically and mentally superior to everybody else. How in the world does he do it?
"Very carefully," joked Thompson during a recent conference call. "I get up in the morning about 6. I'm at the gym at 6 doing my strength and conditioning. Then I go straight to class. Then it's back to the gym. I've got a little break room there. I study for a couple hours, train again, go home and study some more."
I'm tired just reading that.
There are limits to what the human brain and body can do, but apparently Nick Thompson isn't aware of them. Beware Jake Shields: This guy might not be human ... just ask Eddie Alvarez.
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