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The rapidly-growing Shine Fights promotion has inked another solid competitor in veteran fighter Nick "The Goat" Thompson. Thompson had recently tried out for the 11th season of The Ultimate Fighter, with hopes of getting a second shot in the UFC, but it now looks like TUF did not pan out for him. HT: MMA Junkie

Luciano Azevedo (16-8) will face Kyle Watson (12-6-1) from Matt Hughes' H.I.T. Squad at Shine Fights' third show, tentatively scheduled for March 6th, 2010. It will be the Brazilian lightweight's first fight on American soil. Shine Fights 3 March 6, 2010 Ricardo Mayorga (debut) vs. TBA Hector Lombard (22-2-1) vs. Alexandre "Cacareco" (18-6) Murilo "Ninja" Rua (18-10-1) vs. Niko Vitale (26-9) Danillo "Indio" Villefort (10-3) vs. Nick Thompson (38-12-1) Fabio Maldonado (13-3) vs. Daniel Tabera (14-2-3) Luciano Azevedo (16-8) vs. Kyle Watson (12-6-1) HT: Tatame

Nick Thompson talks about his loss to Dan Hornbuckle at Sengoku 10 on the UG: "I have heard my opponents say about fighting me that in the fight, they just felt off. They couldn't explain what it was that was off but they just simply didn't feel like themselves. And though it was meant to discredit me, basically saying that I didn't do anything to them but rather they just had a bad day by happen chance, I always took it as the highest complement. You have enough opponents say the same thing and you realize that it is not a coincidence. They didn't feel like themselves in our fights because I was using my training and skill to throw off their timing. Luckily, though I have lost plenty, I have never had that happen to me.....until last night." "My training camp was the best training camp I have ever had. The weight cut, the easiest I have ever made. I felt the strongest I have ever felt both mentally and physically. I was excited to fight and was certain I was going to steamroll Dan. And then I went out there and just felt like I had no idea what I was doing. Dan beat me to the punch, pun intended, every time I tried to mount an offense. It is the worst feeling I have ever had in a fight. It was a feeling of helplessness.....and in front of the world." "I was talking with Rogan once about performing on stage and he said that there is no better feeling than making a room full of people laugh; I imagine it is a lot like winning a fight. And he said that bombing on stage is the worst feeling in the world – you feel like you are naked in front of everyone. I have never heard anyone more accurately describe how losing a fight feels. And normally, I know something I can change about my technique or my training so I focus on getting back into the gym and improving myself in that area. And that gives me solace. It gives me a goal to focus on so that I can become the best fighter I can be. This time, I am dumbstruck. I don't know what I could have done differently." "My goal was to become the Sengoku champion. I am essentially back at square one now. I am going to spend the week with my wife and little baby girl. After that, I don't know. I want to get in the ring as soon as possible so I can figure out whether I can still be one of the best fighters in the world or whether I have missed my chance. As such, I have asked Sengoku to bring me back right away ( November 7th) but obviously couldn't blame them if they don't. And if they do not, I will take time to reflect and decide whether this is a career that is worth all of the sacrifices that both I and my family make." Nick "the goat" Thompson

Nick Thompson Suffers Cut in Training, Out of M-1 Breakthrough HT: mmajunkie

Nick 'Ultimate Fighting Lawyer' Thompson featured in abovethelaw.com: Thompson currently fights in the Japanese Sengoku league, often in front of 50,000 person crowds in Tokyo. With 4-6 fights per year at $20,000 to $80,000 per fight (depending on whether he wins or loses), he's been faring better than he would have in first year Biglaw. But that law degree was not for naught. He is being courted by Henson & Efron, a Minneapolis law firm with a burgeoning sports entertainment practice. If he takes the job, Thompson wants to work part-time, representing ultimate fighters and other athletes in contract negotiations and promotions. He still needs time for matches, not to mention six hours daily at the gym six days a week. There is a lawyer-athlete precedent at the University of Minnesota. Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Alan Page attended the law school full-time in the 1970s while playing professional football for the Vikings. After retiring from football in 1981, Page went on to become Minnesota's assistant attorney general, and is now an associate justice on the Minnesota Supreme Court. Law and ultimate fighting are not so different, says Thompson. "In both, you're looking for weakness in your opponent. One's physical, and the other's mental."