“Our thoughts determine our success.”
– Nelly Thompson-Aniakudo
Modeling Career Taking Shape!
In addition to pursing a degree in psychology, Nelly has long terms plans to obtain his PhD. He is the only member of his family to finish high school. His future MMA fight plans are clear, he said. “Because I am still relatively fresh in the game, there is much potential and opportunity for the sport and where I can go, given this early success,” he said. “Frankly, I would like to be known as the most skilled and dangerous fighter in the world, I want that title – I want to be the boogey man in the MMA that other fighters think twice about getting in the ring with.”
In addition to his MMA fighting career taking off, his educational pursuits, Nelly has found demand as a male model. A couple of photographers wanting to build their portfolios approached him and there has been early success for this new area of his brand.
Nelly’s daughter Aalanianna, 11 years old, thinks that all her dad does is “pretty cool.” She is at every one of his matches, his biggest fan, and often goes to the gym with him to work out or get her homework done. “We have a rule in our house – homework and school is first, and if you have time to sit around doing nothing, then you better get working on something,” Nelly said. Aalanianna said she likes that her dad pushes her to be her best in all things.
“The words ‘I can’t’ are the worst two words in the English language.”
-Nelly Thompson-Aniakudo
“I am so proud of him and so happy. It is really exciting to watch the matches and be with him but I know he is very focused on me through all this, showing me that I can achieve anything I want, and that’s a good thing to keep in mind in middle school,” she said.
Every day, Nelly puts a new motivational article in front of his daughter to read before she leaves for school. Every day, he tells her she can do whatever she wants to do if she puts in the time.
Nelly greets every day with the idea of positive thinking – including surrounding himself with others who believe in positivity, and though it took some time, he said, he has been able to remove those whom he felt were toxic to his family’s goals and wellbeing. Today, he is doing all he can to learn and contribute in whatever way he can in his community and be the support for his daughter he never had growing up.
“I tell my daughter and I tell everyone - stay far away from negative programming – it is dangerous. You are in charge of your distractions you know? The words I can’t are the worst two words in the standard English language. It is about mindset. if you believe that you can’t do something that is what will happen, but if you believe you can and take action, that’s where the magic happens.
Your future is in your hands. I am a living, walking example of that.”
“The words ‘I can’t’ are the worst two words in the English language.”
-Nelly Thompson-Aniakudo-
Brian Holmes
Photographer