6. ??? What goes here? This is where I am.
7. ??? What goes here?
I will leave smarter minds on the subject to answer that one.
However, I did want to comment on the part about "being in shape". The priority on that would determine where you are now on the scale of "in shape" I think. I have a friend who has been training a long time. He recently stopped all his MMA/boxing/jiu-jitsu training for several months to focus soley on getting in shape. He felt that his mastery of technique was being hampered by his size, and making those things his focus and conditioning etc. second he was not progressing as fast as he should. As he's dropped weight (and I feel the same way too after losing ~55lbs this last year) the way you can handle your own body, much less someone else attacking you is GREATLY increased.
A lot of a fight depends on agression and attack. I'm not speaking of mindset, but of the physicality of being agressive and attacking...it really doesn't matter what your mindset is if all you can think about is trying to get oxygen. That comes into play just as much during a short explosive burst of FOF as it does in an MMA fight, boxing match or whatever... you will be surprised how taxing a FOF scenario lasting even just 1 minute can be.
Now, for some (me included) it is hard to simply go grind out a treadmill session, or stationary bike session (that's not the best way to get in shape that will help you for a fight anyway) so the beauty is that an MMA class (or jiu-jitsu... or any other martial art that requires training against a resistant opponent) can provide a great method to getting in shape (up to a point). The warm-up at my current school borders on a workout for me because I need to be in better shape... so you can kind of kill two birds with one stone as far as that goes in my opinion. Plus, I figure if I am going to be active ANYWAY, then it might as well be by doing something that will benefit me. Plus you might find you really like doing it
Rob