Strikeforce's Nah-Shon Burrell: I'm trying to follow in Jon Jones' footsteps

Nah-Shon Burrell is not your ordinary 21-year-old.

He's not at the local convenient store proudly purchasing alcohol on his own prior to yet another a campus party.  In fact, he's already running full bore in his chosen profession: mixed-martial-arts prizefighter.

Burrell (7-1 MMA, 2-0 SF) next faces James Terry (11-3 MMA 6-2 SF) at "Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine," which takes place Saturday at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The evening's main card airs on Showtime while the preliminary card, including Burrell vs Terry, airs on Showtime Extreme.

Burrell has a list goals and a line of challenges awaiting him. Never mind all the other "stuff."

"I'm trying to follow in the footsteps of Jon Jones," Burrell told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio), referring to the meteoric rise of the fellow 20-something UFC light-heavyweight champion. "Right now, that welterweight title is vacant, so while I'm here, I'm just going to try to keep moving my way up the ladder and eventually hold that belt."

He may want the career path of a Jon Jones, but he probably wouldn't even be here today if not for another UFC champion: middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva.

"I was sitting at home and flipping through the channels," Burrell said, recalling how he initially caught the fighting bug a couple years ago. "I happened to come across a 'UFC Unleashed' episode. I saw the Anderson Silva and Chris Leben fight. I saw Chris Leben talking a lot of trash and saw Anderson Silva just dismantling him.

"I was like, 'You know, this is interesting. This is something I could do. I've been fighting all my life. Why not actually make it pay off?'"

Burrell bypassed college and hasn't looked back. The Philadelphia native began training at The Fight Firm and has been under the tutelage of Tuan Pham ever since.

And all the while, his family has had his back.

"Everybody is real supportive," Burrell said. "They were a little worried at first. Once they saw the dedication and the time I was putting into it, the worrying started going away. They got a little more confident in me."

He took his first professional fight in June 2010 and has kept his foot on the pedal ever since.

"You've got to put everything into it or else you're just going to be trash at it," Burrell said. "I can't afford to take a break yet."

Not when you have grandiose plans, anyway.

Seven wins in his first eight fights, including six via knockout, and Burrell is slowly starting to make some noise. Now he'll face arguably his stiffest test yet in eight-time Strikeforce veteran and Cung Le protege Terry.

It's just the next step in his quest to become a champion and have a long and prosperous career in the sport.

And after MMA? Well, he already has a plan for that too.

Burrell would like to enroll in culinary school and eventually open up a couple restaurants when he hangs up his gloves.

But don't expect proprietorship any time soon. It's all fighting, all the time, for as long as possible.

"I'm going to do it as long as I can, as long as I'm good at it," Burrell said. "You always take a chance when you go into a sport like this, but right now I'm just focused on this.

"I see this as being my life's work."

For more on "Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine," stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of the site.

MMAjunkie.com Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) live from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino's Race & Sports Book. The show is hosted by Gorgeous George, MMAjunkie.com lead staff reporter John Morgan and producer Goze. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio.» ReplyComments: 53 Related News Strikefo... N. Burrell Only on Junkie Strikeforce Strikeforce champ Rockhold: Despite recent bumps, AKA poised for breakout yearStrikeforce's 'King Mo' on opponent Larkin: 'Flashy isn't always effective'MMAjunkie.com: Strikeforce champ Luke Rockhold, UFC's Ross Pearson in studioThursday's 'Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine' press conference open to fansShowtime offers free preview weekend, 'Rockhold vs. Jardine' includedStrikeforce's Lorenz Larkin: I've got nothing to lose against ex-champ 'King Mo'Bobby Green scratches; replacement sought for 'Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine'Ricky Legere vs. Chris Spang completes 'Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine''Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine' weigh-ins take place Jan. 6 in Las Vegas MMAjunkie.com Radio Primetime: Danny Castillo, Nam Phan, Nah-Shon BurrellBurrell vs. Terry, Smith vs. Villante added to 'Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine'Strikeforce Challengers 18 results: Duarte decisions Gurgel, Rousey nets verbal tapFive-fight main card set for Strikeforce Challengers 18 on Aug. 12"Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum" preliminary card results: JZ-Wilcox a no decisionTrio of bouts added to "Strikeforce: Overeem vs. Werdum" HDNet prelims Strikeforce champ Rockhold: Despite recent bumps, AKA poised for breakout yearVeteran ref Mario Yamasaki wants to see more regulation in native BrazilUFC 141 'UFC Prelims' ratings: Final Spike TV special earns 1.8 million viewersJ.J. Ambrose joins Bellator's season-six lightweight tourneyWar Machine, Carlos Alexandre Pereira join Bellator's season-six welterweight tourneyStrikeforce's 'King Mo' on opponent Larkin: 'Flashy isn't always effective'UFC's Thiago Silva serves term of one-year NSAC license revocationOli Thompson vs. Shawn Jordan added to UFC on FX 2The Sunday Junkie: Jan. 1 edition Strikeforce champ Rockhold: Despite recent bumps, AKA poised for breakout yearStrikeforce's 'King Mo' on opponent Larkin: 'Flashy isn't always effective'MMAjunkie.com: Strikeforce champ Luke Rockhold, UFC's Ross Pearson in studioThursday's 'Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine' press conference open to fansShowtime offers free preview weekend, 'Rockhold vs. Jardine' includedStrikeforce's Lorenz Larkin: I've got nothing to lose against ex-champ 'King Mo'Bobby Green scratches; replacement sought for 'Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine'Ricky Legere vs. Chris Spang completes 'Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine'Radio: Gilbert Melendez, Mario Yamasaki, Shane Del Rosario, Richard Perez, Joey Diaz

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