April 26th versus Adrian Henderson — loss via KO, one minute 59 seconds into the first round.
The bitter taste of defeat! It had been since June of 2010 and I really didn’t miss this feeling.
After probably one of the best camps of my career, having put some awesome new tools in the toolbox, I failed. I completely collapsed mentally, made some rookie mistakes and got taken down — with ease.
I was a little too comfortable on my back and was in no hurry. I had no sense of urgency. I scraped him back to half from side and methodically worked. Damn, he was strong. He pulled my back off the cage and postured. Night, night.
He pushed my face away, landed the first elbow and I never felt the three subsequent shots. I had forgotten how to lose. It had been four years, so I had to go through the depression. That sucked.
Then I spent a week in the hospital. I don’t think I mentioned in the previous blogs, but I have a pancreatic birth defect. It is called Pancreas divisum and it causes chronic acute pancreatitis. I had my first hospital stay in 2005 for 38 days when it flared the first time. I wasn’t supposed to make it.
In fact, the doctors wrote in my chart that they were gonna keep me comfortable until I passed, that I wouldn’t make it through the illness. I, of course, didn’t realize this until the hospital chaplain came to see me.
I wasn’t ready to die then — mentally or spiritually. Not ready to give up now either!
Alright, so you see, I’ve been told numerous times that I couldn’t do this. That I wouldn’t be able to have a normal life, free from pain. Well, I do!
I do what I want, I do what I love, and because of that, I eat right and workout and normally am healthier than most anyone I know. I run a 75 to 80-percent higher chance of developing pancreatic cancer, and all kinda of other stuff. Oh well!
I refuse to live by others’ rules, by others’ recommendations. I’m not much for conformity!
Other than that, workouts are going great and I picked up right where I left off. Grinding out two and three-a-days trying to get back on the winning side of things. I almost forgot, July 12th in Pittsburgh, I’m fighting Adam Milstead (4-1) at Pinnacle FC, so I’m gonna entertain you great folks for a few weeks.
Back into the never-ending cycle of train, eat, train, eat, sleep and FIGHT!
“You can fail at doing what you don’t want to do, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.” – Jim Carrey
I would like to thank God for the ability and opportunity to compete in this great sport. The continued support of my fiancé Sunni, my family and friends and my loyal sponsors, Down 2 Earth Landscaping, KRM Auto Transport, BD Landscaping & Irrigation, and Woody’s Shirts and Scrubs.
Follow Nick on Twitter at @Nick_Smiley and on Facebook.
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