Leaving hard-knock life worth fight

CLOVIS - Staring out from his prison cell, Nikko Nathan could see more than just metal bars.

He saw two Nikkos - the Nikko he currently was, the one wasting his life, another kid from a broken home, in and out of jail since age 11; and the Nikko he could be, if only he found his niche, some positive path for his life to take.

He chose the latter Nikko, gave up the street life, found his way into mixed martial arts, made it his focus.

Recently, the new Nikko took one of the biggest steps an MMA fighter can, officially going pro by earning a $25,000 contract from King of the Cage by finishing fourth at the World Amateur Championships IV in Reno, Nevada.

He had stood out from 400 fighters, had been one of the 40 to make King of the Cage's cut, then battled his way past one of the best up-and-coming MMA fighters in his 155-pound weight class.

Nathan is now being paid for MMA, the first step on a new path, one he hopes will lead to UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship).

"Man, it's crazy," the 28-year-old Nathan said. "A couple of days after my fight, I thought, 'I've come a long way.' As soon as I made that change and started focusing on my fighting, everything fell into place. It is hard, but if it is what you want, you'll make the journey, no excuses. ... I'm moving forward, and the people that are behind, I want to pull them up with me."

A California native raised by his grandmother, Nathan moved to Tucumcari at the age of 13. For more than a decade after that, he was on and off between Tucumcari and Clovis. He even attended Gattis Middle School.

Four years ago he settled in Clovis full-time. He found his way through the doors of Force One Training Center on Commerce Street and decided that the half-hearted approach toward MMA he had since the age of 18 needed to be replaced by a steely determination to become a successful professional MMA fighter.

"It wasn't that hard," he said. "I got into it, really used all my dedication and just ground it out. It was just really wanting to do it once I made my mind up."

He dragged his past along with him, at times having to wear a paroled prisoner's ankle bracelet while working out. But his trainers at Force One were cool with it. "They said, 'You can put a shin-pad over it,'" Nathan recalled.

He began in the 170-pound class and started his amateur career 2-5. He thought he might fare better at a lower weight, and trimmed down to qualify for 155.

"It ended up taking me three months," Nathan recalled, "but I'd been training for, I'd say about a year of hard-core training to get my body used to getting down, making the cut."

Part of it involved closely monitoring what he ate. "That's what took me a year," he said, "to get a strict diet and stick to it. No cheesesteaks."

Since the switch in weight classes, Nathan is 3-0.

"(The weight loss) pretty much was making sure I was ready for that next level," he said. "It was just more dedication, more determination of really wanting to fight ... really putting my all into it. My coaches and everybody told me I should be at 155. ... I knew this was the real deal, so I made that transition."

Nathan registered for last year's World Amateur Championship, but wasn't selected. Jailhouse Nikko might've given up. Not an option for the new Nikko. He worked even harder, knew he'd have another chance.

As this year's competition neared, King of the Cage liked what Nathan showed them, how he had progressed.

"They use fights, styles, the most competitive (fighters)," Nathan said of the selection process. "Whatever can help you qualify for it, and then you go from there."

This time Nathan made it, he was deemed one of the 40 best. All he had to do next was beat Michael O'Leary, trained in Sacramento, California's Team Alpha Male gym renowned in UFC circles. A seemingly daunting challenge, but for Nathan, no sweat.

"It really wasn't," he said. "I really prepared. When I finished my last three weeks of training camp, I was mentally prepared for the fight. I felt like I was over-prepared for it. It was natural. I was ready to make that next step to the pros."

Ready enough to beat O'Leary in a unanimous decision.

"It was shocking," Nathan said, "and then it felt great. All that hard work, and it was that quick. I really didn't soak everything up until the day after. ... I was just so happy to see my family. Everybody started crying. The reaction I got from everyone, my loved ones filled with joy, was overwhelming. I felt blessed. I knew it was my time."

Jailhouse Nikko might have let down Nicole, his wife of two and a half years. Jailhouse Nikko might have failed his six children, two stepchildren.

New Nikko was an MMA pro.

"I had a job to get done," he said. "No matter who was standing in front of me, I was going to get that win."

As of Christmas weekend, Nathan wasn't sure of his contract's specifics. He said he'd review it all after the holiday. He is expecting three fights over three years, with the next one about four months away.

"It's looking like April in California," he said. "I'm looking to stay busy so I can stay ready all the time, so I don't have to get ready."

He is grateful to Kings of the Cage for his opportunity. But like a minor league baseball player yearning to play in the majors, a G-League player trying to reach the NBA, Nathan has a loftier professional goal.

"Hopefully UFC or some big promotion after I get this contract with King of the Cage," he said. "This is one step closer to the big show. I'm using every opportunity to get to the UFC. If you don't want to go to the UFC, then I don't think you should be fighting. And hopefully when I finish the contract with King of the Cage, that will be where I sit."