Shine Inks Former Bodog Fight Champion

The fledgling Shine Fights promotion has signed UFC veteran and former Bodog Fight welterweight champion Nick Thompson. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Seasoned by 51 professional bouts, Thompson will carry a two-fight losing streak into his next appearance. The 28-year-old last appeared in September, when he succumbed to second-round strikes from Dan Hornbuckle at Sengoku “Tenth Battle.” The opportunity to keep an active pace inside Shine Fights appealed to Thompson.

“Over three years, I’d gone 22-2 at welterweight, and I couldn’t get a fight,” he said in a release. “It was really frustrating. If you look at my record, I had 50 fights in five years, and all of a sudden, I’m going to down to two fights in a year. I’m going out of my mind.”

Victories against the world-ranked Paul Daley, UFC veteran Josh Neer and reigning Bellator Fighting Championships lightweight titleholder Eddie Alvarez highlight Thompson’s resume. In fact, he was the first man to defeat Alvarez.

“I can submit you from the top, from the bottom,” Thompson said. “I’ve knocked out world-class strikers, and I think that’s one thing that sets me aside -- just my well-roundedness.”

Expected to debut for the promotion sometime in 2010, Thompson joins a welterweight division inside Shine Fights that includes Pride Fighting Championships veteran Daniel Acacio, Minnesota Martial Arts Academy teammate Derrick Noble, International Fight League castaway Eduardo Pamplona and UFC exiles Danillo Villefort and Roan Carneiro.

“Nick is a world-class fighter,” said Shine Fights matchmaker Ron Foster, “and we’re extremely excited to feature him in our shows.”