“I definitely would love to be able to fight, but I think that’s an opportunity door that the Lord hasn’t opened for me to pursue, at least at this time,” Nation explained. “I don’t think it would be wise of me health wise, but if I was able to, it’d definitely be something I’d liked to have pursued.”
Nation explains that there’s still pain in losing, there’s still pain in coming up short, but losses and missed opportunities don’t define him. He wasn’t born to be “the guy who lost a match” or “the guy who can’t fight.” He was born to be himself, and everything else that comes with it is just that; everything that comes with it.
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“A lot of it comes back to where I find my identity,” Nation said. “It’s easier for me to talk about sometimes and harder when I lose or don’t get where I want to go or get injured. I’m a human and I struggle with getting upset or being bitter that maybe I lost on a bad call or something didn’t go my way that I thought should have. I try to find my worth not in how well I perform but in who the Lord says I am in Christ. Regardless of how long I’m able to compete, what matters most is eternity.”
Nation has eyes on med school post-NCAA career but, for now, it’s one last season of combat sports. One last season of wrestling to make the most of.
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