Jake Shields Set To Return To Middleweight, August 2012 Likely
Most fighters, if they make a switch in weight class, move down after a loss. However, former Strikeforce middleweight champion and UFC welterweight number one contender Jake Shields is moving up in weight following his UFC 144 win over Yoshihiro Akiyama.
UFC officials announced the move on last night “UFC Tonight” on FUEL TV.
After a run in Strikeforce to earn the Strikeforce middleweight title, Jake Shields moved to the UFC where he dropped down in weight for a chance to fight Georges St.-Pierre.
He was able to get past Martin Kampmann in his UFC debut to earn the shot, but he fell short and lost a tough decision against the UFC welterweight champion.
Shields went on to face Jake Ellenberger at “Fight Night 25” and he was knocked out in the very first round. He was then able to bounce back from the back-to-back losses that snapped his five-year, 15 fight win-streak with a successful performance over the aforementioned Akiyama.
Now, coming off a win he is opting to move up in weight where he once held Strikeforce gold and will no doubt look to utilize his wrestling prowess to make an impact in a division where superior wrestling wins fights. But will he be able to swim with the UFC sharks that occupy the 185 weight class?
Jake is expected to make his UFC middleweight debut in August of this year.
Read More: Jake Shields (News), UFC, Mixed Martial Arts
Related:
About the Author
UFC on FX 8: Belfort vs. Rockhold takes place tonight from the Arena Jaragua in…
The UFC on FX 8 prelims start tonight at 6 p.m. ET and 3…
By Jake Chastain | It is no secret that Vitor Belfort is one of the…
Bryan Caraway has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons lately. When you fail…
As if Bryan Caraway hasn’t lost enough respect from the MMA community this week, the…
UFC on FUEL TV anchorman, Chael Sonnen, took to his time on the air to…
UFC on FX 8 is set for this evening in Brazil. The UFC on FUEL…
Pat “Bam Bam” Healy has had some unfortunate luck this week. If failing a publicly…
Jon Jones has quickly become one of, if not thee most dominant champion in the…
The disciplinarians at the UFC are keeping busy this month. After taking away Pat Healy’s…
In a photo that recently came to our attention on Twitter, Chael Sonnen takes the…
Former UFC lightweight competitor Paul ‘Tellys’ Kelly was unanimously convicted earlier today for heroin trafficking…
i like jake shields, but im not sure he can hang with these guys at 185
hell yea he can ! he beat dan henderson, and dan is a LHW fighter too .
I think Jake is a better fit at 170 in the UFC but he will have success at 185 for sure. The size difference isn’t a big deal with Jake’s size because of his grappling style but he still needs to become more of a mixed martial artist if he’s going to have any chance at a UFC title in any weight class.
maybe he’ll fight chris weidman… really don’t know who he’s going to face…
I always felt he was better at 185, like how Hendo is better at 205. Also less wrestlers at 185.
Finally! I always felt that he did better at MW too, the weight cut seems to drain him alot, never really looked that impressive in WW once he came to the UFC!
Old shields is coming back!! Ahhh yeahhhhh.
no i think he is just hiding from damian mia
Make him fight Mark Munoz he needs a fight. I bet he’s fighting Damien Maia.
I don’t think he can beat many of the MWs because alot of them specialize in areas he doesn’t, like wrestling and striking.
Maia is dropping to welterweight
Jeez I forgot. So many names moving around in the weight division shuffle.
who does he get at 185?
Give him chael after he loses to anderson.
looked sluggish against sexyama
Finally a not tired from weight cuting Jake. He’s gunna beat everyone he faces other then Anderson. lol. I’d like to see him against Bisping or munios.
Good call with Jake vs Bisping.
I’d rather see him at 185. He looks better and healthier. I don’t think he could beat Silva or anything. But it’s the right weight for him.
Hes fighting Ed Herman Read the whole article
My Bad wrong article but he is facing Ed Herman in MW debut