HEADLINE
Power Drive
Nelly Thompson-Aniakudo Emerges as Region’s Top Welterweight MMA Fighter
By Janice Burch, Contributing Editor
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How does a once chubby kid who never played a sport in school, grew up in the toughest part of the city and was on his own by 14, living in a car by 15, a single dad at 17, finish school, go to college and rise so quickly to hit the top of the Midwest’s MMA rosters?
Commitment, sweat and an unceasing drive to be a good example for his daughter.
All eyes on Nelly, people – this is one man you want to watch.
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Nelly Thompson-Aniakudo, 28, started MMA training two years ago and just stepped into his first official ring fight in 2016. In just over a year, the 5’9” 170-pound powerhouse from Wisconsin has collected an eye-popping winning record of 6-1. His most recent win a few weeks ago, pushed him to the top ranks locally as Pura Vida’s first welter weight champion.
A handsome guy with an easy smile, Nelly exudes authenticity. That genuine approach he has in talking with people has served him well - in all aspects of his life. By day, Nelly is an occupational therapist working with patients who have suffered brain injuries, strokes and tragedies, helping them gain the physical strength and attitude needed to return to independence. He often works with county hospital patients who fit the no- to low-income category. “It’s tough to see, especially because I know exactly where they are coming from – I grew up on that side of the tracks, but I think that because I really understand the hurdles they face daily, it helps open up a level of trust and dialogue and that leads to a willingness to try and move forward to help them gain independence,” he said. “I know I can’t save the world, but I can make a difference - one person at a time.”
In addition to his work and training, Nelly also is enrolled in college, reaching toward another degree and spends time volunteering in the community. Everything he does however, is pointed in one direction - helping his daughter live a better life, a different life than he experienced growing up, he said, and encouraging her to take the wheel in developing her life path.
“Being a dad is the most important job in the world,” he said. “She is my why.”
USE THIS SUBHEAD PLEASE:
Daughter Comes First
When Nelly was young, he often found refuge in school, staying as late as he could and arriving as soon as they unlocked the doors after dawn, just to get away from his troubled home life and keep s distance from the thugs, drugs and crime that ruled his neighborhood. After leaving home at 14, he worked a few basic jobs and saved up enough money to buy a beater car, which he lived out of for a few years. He became a single dad at 17 and saved up enough by the time he hit 18 to get his own place for he and his daughter. He started a welding apprenticeship but after getting a job, he and several others were laid off due to lack of work. He then looked to further his education to lift he and his daughter out of poverty. He said that through all those rough years of balancing school, parenting a baby, and trying to fend for their basic needs, he held onto the belief that “anything is possible in life with hard work and commitment.”
PULLOUT QUOTE
“Never stop learning and growing. If you do, you die a little bit each day.”
– Nelly Thompson-Aniakudo
At the age of 23, Nelly joined a fitness gym to work out what he felt were some anger issues he had regarding his past and upbringing, and immediately felt the benefit it brought to his health and mindset. “The progression was quick in terms of the muscle and strength but also how it squelched my anger and brought peace of mind, it was powerful.” He pushed himself over the next couple of years to gain muscle mass in a quest, which he now laughs at, to become “the guy with the biggest muscles” at the gym who could lift the most. In 2013, he started training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
In 2015, a teammate approached him during one of his workouts, asking if he had ever done MMA and if he would be interested in giving it a go. He looked at that as an opportunity to continue to grow, and challenge himself for self-discovery and improvement. “I thought, this could be the thing that takes my fitness to the place I really want to go – to become the athlete I never had the chance to be,” he said.
Nelly began his training with Pura Vida BJJ & MMA in Milwaukee and Jake Klipp, the gym owner and his coach, and continues to call Pura Vida his second home, with Klipp as his coach.
USE THIS SUBHEAD PLEASE:
I Come Prepared for War
His first MMA fight in 2016 was tough, he said. “Oh my god that guy was big, he was so big, but I won by a split decision after I ate every one of his punches. His boxing was solid but I was fast,” he said. “After that fight, I dropped to my knees and told my coach I don’t want to do this again, that shit was scary.” But he listened to his coach who suggested he cut weight and fight at 170 instead of 185 and it was after his next fight at the new weight he realized he had the power to go head to head with his opponents.
“I go in with the mentality that every fight is tough,” he said. “I won’t win if I don’t come prepared for a war.”
It has been a bit over a year since that first fight and since then, it’s been a whirlwind of growing, learning and successes that keep piling on.
“I am one of those people if someone says to me – do you think you can do this, do you have what it takes? – and I am interested, I will pursue it relentlessly. You know, I believe that you can never stop learning and growing. If you do, you die a little bit each day.”
PULLOUT QUOTE
“Our thoughts determine our success.”
– Nelly Thompson-Aniakudo
USE THIS SUBHEAD PLEASE:
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.
PULLOUT QUOTE
“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.”
To book, contact, or follow Nelly:
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: Nelly Thompson-Aniakudo
Instagram: thompson_aniakudo_mma
Snapchat: OTNellyMMA
Commitment!
Sweat and an unceasing drive.
How does a once chubby kid who never played a sport in school, grew up in the toughest part of the city and was on his own by 14, living in a car by 15, a single dad at 17, finish school, go to college and rise so quickly to hit the top of the Midwest’s MMA rosters?
All eyes on Nelly, people – this is one man you want to watch!
Nelly Thompson-Aniakudo, 28, started MMA training two years ago and just stepped into his first official ring fight in 2016. In just over a year, the 5’9” 170-pound powerhouse from Wisconsin has collected an eye-popping winning record of 6-1. His most recent win a few weeks ago, pushed him to the top ranks locally as Pura Vida’s first welter weight champion.
A handsome guy with an easy smile, Nelly exudes authenticity. That genuine approach he has in talking with people has served him well - in all aspects of his life. By day, Nelly is an occupational therapist working with patients who have suffered brain injuries, strokes and tragedies, helping them gain the physical strength and attitude needed to return to independence. He often works with county hospital patients who fit the no- to low-income category. “It’s tough to see, especially because I know exactly where they are coming from – I grew up on that side of the tracks, but I think that because I really understand the hurdles they face daily, it helps open up a level of trust and dialogue and that leads to a willingness to try and move forward to help them gain independence,” he said. “I know I can’t save the world, but I can make a difference - one person at a time.”
In addition to his work and training, Nelly also is enrolled in college, reaching toward another degree and spends time volunteering in the community. Everything he does however, is pointed in one direction - helping his daughter live a better life, a different life than he experienced growing up, he said, and encouraging her to take the wheel in developing her life path.
“Being a dad is the most important job in the world,” he said. “She is my why.”
Daughter Comes First
When Nelly was young, he often found refuge in school, staying as late as he could and arriving as soon as they unlocked the doors after dawn, just to get away from his troubled home life and keep s distance from the thugs, drugs and crime that ruled his neighborhood. After leaving home at 14, he worked a few basic jobs and saved up enough money to buy a beater car, which he lived out of for a few years. He became a single dad at 17 and saved up enough by the time he hit 18 to get his own place for he and his daughter. He started a welding apprenticeship but after getting a job, he and several others were laid off due to lack of work. He then looked to further his education to lift he and his daughter out of poverty. He said that through all those rough years of balancing school, parenting a baby, and trying to fend for their basic needs, he held onto the belief that “anything is possible in life with hard work and commitment.”
At the age of 23, Nelly joined a fitness gym to work out what he felt were some anger issues he had regarding his past and upbringing, and immediately felt the benefit it brought to his health and mindset. “The progression was quick in terms of the muscle and strength but also how it squelched my anger and brought peace of mind, it was powerful.” He pushed himself over the next couple of years to gain muscle mass in a quest, which he now laughs at, to become “the guy with the biggest muscles” at the gym who could lift the most. In 2013, he started training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
In 2015, a teammate approached him during one of his workouts, asking if he had ever done MMA and if he would be interested in giving it a go. He looked at that as an opportunity to continue to grow, and challenge himself for self-discovery and improvement. “I thought, this could be the thing that takes my fitness to the place I really want to go – to become the athlete I never had the chance to be,” he said.
Nelly began his training with Pura Vida BJJ & MMA in Milwaukee and Jake Klipp, the gym owner and his coach, and continues to call Pura Vida his second home, with Klipp as his coach.
“Never stop learning and growing. If you do, you die a little bit each day.” – Nelly Thompson-Aniakudo--
I Come Prepared for War
His first MMA fight in 2016 was tough, he said. “Oh my god that guy was big, he was so big, but I won by a split decision after I ate every one of his punches. His boxing was solid but I was fast,” he said. “After that fight, I dropped to my knees and told my coach I don’t want to do this again, that shit was scary.” But he listened to his coach who suggested he cut weight and fight at 170 instead of 185 and it was after his next fight at the new weight he realized he had the power to go head to head with his opponents.
“I go in with the mentality that every fight is tough,” he said. “I won’t win if I don’t come prepared for a war.”
It has been a bit over a year since that first fight and since then, it’s been a whirlwind of growing, learning and successes that keep piling on.
“I am one of those people if someone says to me – do you think you can do this, do you have what it takes? – and I am interested, I will pursue it relentlessly. You know, I believe that you can never stop learning and growing. If you do, you die a little bit each day.”