At a press conference for World Series of Fight 22 on Thursday, things got a little heated between welterweight challenger Jake Shields and the champ, Rousimar Palhares.
When Shields was asked what capturing the WSOF belt would be like, having won multiple other titles in other organizations such as Strikeforce and Shooto, Shields glared at Palhares and said he anxious to go.
“Yeah you know, like you said, I have a lot of belts, and this is a belt I respect a lot,” Shields said. “And he’s holding it for me right now. I’m going out there to…I wish we were fighting right now. I don’t feel like waiting two days. I want to get it on right now.”
The two will collide on Saturday night at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas.
With this fight in his cross-hairs for a long time now, Shields hasn’t sugarcoated his disdain for Palhares, whom he considers a dirty fighter. Palhares has a history of holding onto submission holds after the tap, a red flag that got him cut from the UFC in 2013 when he did it to Mike Pierce.
Asked if there was another reason for him to want to bring justice down on Palhares so bad, Shields said his reasons were manifold.
“He hasn’t said anything bad about me, I think it’s just hurting people,” he said. “It’s kind of bothered me, and a lot it is just myself. I’m ready for another belt as well. I’m mentally just psyched and in a good place and he’s the one who’s going to pay for it.”
Palhares was given then given a chance to respond.
“You know, Jake Shields talks a lot. He talks, talks, talks a lot, he says a lot of words,” Palhares said. “But we’re ready for a fight, not to talk or have a conversation. If you want my belt, go to the show and you’ll have the opportunity. I think it’s impossible.”
Shields then stood up as if to confront Palhares, who then stood up himself. With WSOF matchmaker Ray Sefo standing between them at the podium, nothing much else happened.
“One thing is for sure, I’m very excited about Saturday,” Sefo said.