By Kelsey Mowatt By the time Nick “The Goat” Thompson steps into the ring Sunday night, at Sengoku Raiden Championship’s latest offering in Tokyo, Japan, nearly one year will have transpired since the accomplished veteran last competed. From battling injuries, having trouble finding fights, to seeing finalized bouts fall through (Thompson was scheduled to fight Eduardo Pamplona at the ill fated Shine Fight’s “Worlds Collide” event in May) it’s been a challenging year for Thompson.
“Very,” Thompson told FCF when asked how anxious he is to compete after being on the sidelines for nearly a year. “This is the longest layoff of my career. During it, I finally had my knee fixed. I am excited to compete at 100% for the first time in a long while.”
Thompson (38-12-1) will meet Taisuke Okuno (9-4-2) in the opening round of Sengoku’s welterweight grand-prix, offering the fighter and practicing lawyer a compelling opportunity, to reassert his presence in the upper tier of the division. Thompson, who won 12 straight fights in a streak lasting from June, 2006, to June, 2008, is coming off back-to-back losses to Tim Kennedy and Dan Hornbuckle.
“In June," said Thompson regarding when he was offered a spot in the 170lb. tourney. “And I was excited for the opportunity. I told them to line them up and I will knock them down.”
Okuno has gone 2-2-1 in his last five fights; most recently the Shooto veteran stopped Hidehiko Hasegawa in the first round, at Deep Impact 46 in February.
“Nothing,” Thompson conceded, when asked what he knows about his next opponent. “I have been very busy with my legal practice and studying tapes was one of the first things to go.”
And as far as Thompson’s assessment of the other tourney competitors? A field that to date also includes Yasubey Enomoto and Kenta Takagi?
“Couldn't tell you who else is in the tournament,” Thompson said. “But I know I am in it, so the favorite is me.”
Sengoku 14 will be hosted by Tokyo’s Ryogoku Kokugikan and will be broadcast live on HDNet, beginning at 2:00AM ET on Sunday, August 22nd.
Some of the other bouts confirmed for the event include a rematch between Sengoku middleweight champ Jorge Santiago and Kazuo Misaki, Hatsu Hioki vs. Jeff Lawson, and the second round of the promotion’s bantamweight grand-prix.
