Nate's a blackbelt in Jiu-Jitsu under Greg Nelson. He's the regular black belt instructor for some of Greg's advanced Jiu-Jitsu competition team classes.
He has a record of 10-1 with a 100% finishing percentage. He has never had a fight go to decision. His last loss was in April 2006.
It looked as though he was a sure prospect for an upper-tier org, and he sustained a back injury in 2007 that put him out for several years as he recovered from surgery. During that time, he improved his Jiu-Jitsu and innovated, tailoring it towards MMA. His first return test took place a couple weeks ago (see the video I'll post below).
I'm posting this because I think Nate's ready for a shot in a big organization and he's at a point where he's got to make some big decisions about where to commit. He's got a crushing submission grappling style that is geared towards finishing fights and I could see him submitting a huge portion of the UFC's active lightweight roster. You'll have to take my fanboy word for it until he has a chance to prove it.
If he gets a shot, I am so confident that he'll win his first fight, I'll leave the UG for six months if he doesn't.
Dat top control.
In for potential 
He has great jiu-jitsu but no sure about his striking. How good is his wrestling?
His specialties from mount are that arm triangle, which he can finish from mount if the circumstances are right, and those armbars from a tight high mount that allows him to throw punches. He's done thousands of reps with Sean Sherk working doubles, so his takedowns are good for MMA. All kinds of escapes and control positions that were new to almost everyone in the room at our gym.
He's doing privates with a boxing pro now. He has heavy hands that get the job done but obviously isn't a striking specialist to the degree that you'd consider it his strength. His takedowns from the clinch are superb. Lots of kimura setups etc.
TeamRenzo - He has great jiu-jitsu but no sure about his striking. How good is his wrestling?
A lot of his Jiu-Jitsu has a wrestling feel, lots of stuffy control positions. One of his favorite things to work in the gym is "cracking the turtle," using a lot of wrestling control principles and transitions to flatten people out and so on. Because he's done a lot of work with Sherk and a coach with a big wrestling background, a lot of his jiu jitsu has been influenced.
Eh, too early to judge. He may have all the promise in the world but look at who he's fought.
He has a win over a legit Dan Hornbuckle, but check the records:
Ted Worthington: 32-36 record, lost three straight before facing Homme.
Paul Brandt: faced Homme in his only pro fight.
Duke Oursler: 0-5 record
Jason Bowling: 11-11 record, fought Homme in second pro fight after a 1-4 amateur career.
Troy Hill: fought Homme in pro debut, 0-2 record
Schrome Blacher: 4-9 record
Caleb Krull: 4-4 record
Alex Carter: 6-29 record
Jason Guida: fat
2JupitersTooMany -TeamRenzo - He has great jiu-jitsu but no sure about his striking. How good is his wrestling?
A lot of his Jiu-Jitsu has a wrestling feel, lots of stuffy control positions. One of his favorite things to work in the gym is "cracking the turtle," using a lot of wrestling control principles and transitions to flatten people out and so on. Because he's done a lot of work with Sherk and a coach with a big wrestling background, a lot of his jiu jitsu has been influenced.
Awesome, I am sure he will be in the big show soon!
Too early to judge, sure. I don't think it's too early for a shot. A lot of that's my subjective opinion based on my own experiences, but he's wrecking guys much bigger than him in the gym with this unique of Jiu-Jitsu that's been adapted for MMA, and he has legit takedowns to make it happen. I don't think it's too soon for a 4k shot on an undercard in the UFC. I think he's make them money in the long run. It's difficult to find guys with 100% finishing percentages. Whether you question his competence, he's at least got that mentality.
2JupitersTooMany - Too early to judge, sure. I don't think it's too early for a shot. A lot of that's my subjective opinion based on my own experiences, but he's wrecking guys much bigger than him in the gym with this unique of Jiu-Jitsu that's been adapted for MMA, and he has legit takedowns to make it happen. I don't think it's too soon for a 4k shot on an undercard in the UFC. I think he's make them money in the long run. It's difficult to find guys with 100% finishing percentages. Whether you question his competence, he's at least got that mentality.
Your profile lists you as from MN - do you trane with him or something?
But yes, he probably deserves a shot in at least, one of the bigger regional organizations.
I train at his academy. I've trained with a bunch of great fighters at Greg Nelson's place, but in my entire time here I've never pimped one on the UG. He's the most exciting prospect I've seen at the gym in four years, and I think it's legitimately his time to appear in a big org.
2JupitersTooMany - I train at his academy. I've trained with a bunch of great fighters at Greg Nelson's place, but in my entire time here I've never pimped one on the UG. He's the most exciting prospect I've seen at the gym in four years, and I think it's legitimately his time to appear in a big org.
Next time, you should disclose this information up front. Because now you look like a schill, especially since his record has been built on weak opposition.
Everyone here who follows my posts and hasn't been a member since January 2012 knows that I train at the Minnesota Martial Arts Academy. I talk about it all the time. Of course I'm a shill to some degree. His career and abilities are what they are. I'm not posting this for you, I'm posting to get his name out to people looking for a prospect to hire.
2JupitersTooMany - Everyone here who follows my posts and hasn't been a member since January 2012 knows that I train at the Minnesota Martial Arts Academy. I talk about it all the time. Of course I'm a shill to some degree. His career and abilities are what they are. I'm not posting this for you, I'm posting to get his name out to people looking for a prospect to hire.
He's just saying that you should've mentioned this guy is a teammate in your first post - which is correct.
Vote me down fellas, but check out his finishing percentage and his video ;) Where's Cindo O at?
AnakinHelwani, I obviously do understand the opponent analysis. Much more so than in boxing, it's difficult to be smart about building a solid record in unpredictable MMA without encountering criticism about opponent quality. You'll have to watch his fight from the perspective of a trained person to see if you think he's displaying the skills necessary to compete in a big org.
That last competitor was said to have a record of 50ish wins, 30ish losses during the fight intro, but I have no idea what his true record is. Nate's submitting guys consistently. He's not some phenom wrestler laying on people for fifteen minutes. I think a lot of people who are familiar with his abilities would consider him ready for a big org, and there is obvious value for an org when a fighter has a proven submission mindset.
Nate Tears it up at the Academy, or so ive been told. "like grappling with a bag of snakes" was the exact quote. 