Former Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields (25-4-1) will make his UFC debut this coming Saturday in the co-main event of UFC 121: Lesnar vs. Velasquez. He’ll be stepping into the octagon to face high ranking welterweight Martin Kampmann, with a shot at the UFC welterweight title if heis victorious.
When the two do meet, Shields will bring a style all of his own a combination of wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, something he calls American Jiu Jitsu.
“I figured with MMA, in a five-minute round, you want that high technical end of the jiu-jitsu with the submissions, but you also want to pressure and bring the fight, so I mixed the two. Brazilians try and say that no-Gi is not Brazilian jiu-jitsu, so that’s why I came up with taking two disciplines together, with the high pace of wrestling with the skill and technique of jiu-jitsu. I feel great, and I am doing all I can to get better. I am trying to refine my American jiu-jitsu, and I’ve been working a ton of striking, as well. I want to go out there and bring it to him. That’s my style. And I think Kampmann is a tough opponent. He’s a great stand-up fighter, and he’s just really well-rounded, with grappling as well. His wrestling’s pretty good, too, but I don’t think it’s at my level.”
Fans will get their chance to see how effective Shields style of American Jiu Jitsu really is this Saturday.
HT: ESPN.com