Tag: Jake Shields

3 Takeaways from the UFC’s Release of No. 11 Ranked Welterweight Jake Shields

The UFC made the controversial decision to release No. 11 ranked welterweight Jake Shields on Monday. Shields had just lost a decision to Hector Lombard, but had beaten UFC contenders Demian Maia and Tyron Woodley in his two previous fights.&…

The UFC made the controversial decision to release No. 11 ranked welterweight Jake Shields on Monday. Shields had just lost a decision to Hector Lombard, but had beaten UFC contenders Demian Maia and Tyron Woodley in his two previous fights. 

According to Trent Reinsmith of Bloody Elbow, Shields’ manager Lex McMahon commented on the cut by saying, “To lose one fight and then all of a sudden be out of a job was something that I believe was surprising and not contemplated.”

While Shields has had a long and successful career up to this point, he has been much maligned for his “boring” style of fighting—which features a lot of position control, particularly when he is on top of his opponent. 

 

The UFC Won’t Put Up with Boring Fighters

The UFC showed once again that they want exciting fights, first and foremost. There is no rational argument that could say that Shields does not deserve to be in the UFC based on his resume. Shields’ recent wins over Maia and Woodley prove that. 

However, Shields was never an exciting fighter. He was not the type of fighter that you would buy a pay-per-view for. Shields had that suffocating top control and persistent wrestling that made him very successful, but—quite frankly—pretty boring. 

Shields’ style was a type that only a few hardcore grappling fans could appreciate. It takes a high level of knowledge to appreciate the way that Shields holds down and positionally dominates professional mixed martial artists. This type of style is fine for a fighter, but they have to look to finish. Too often, Shields was in dominate positions in fights and failed to capitalize. Shields used beautiful grappling to get take downs and pass the guard, but that’s where it ended. 

Once Shields started to show that he was not a top-five fighter anymore, it was easy for the UFC to decide that the he was not worth the trouble.

The UFC showed that it doesn’t tolerate boring fighters—no matter how talented—by releasing other so-called boring fighters like Jon Fitch and Yushin Okami. Shields was just another name to add to this list. 

 

Shields Can Still Be Involved in Important Fights

Just because Shields is not under the UFC banner anymore doesn’t mean he wont be able to put on meaningful fights. Shields still can fight a myriad of talented and up-and-coming fighters. 

Shields can go fight against Ben Askren in OneFC and give Askren the meaningful competition that Dana White believes Askren needs. 

A fight between Shields and Askren would definitely be an enticing matchup, especially in the grappling aspects.

Or maybe Shields can go to WSOF and test his skills against another UFC cast-off in Jon Fitch or the leg lock assassin Rousimar Palhares. While the fight with Fitch may seem to be a boring match of two subpar strikers with above average wrestling skills, the Palhares fight would be a fascinating matchup. It would be Shields and his position dominating grappling versus the ultra-aggressive, submission-centric grappling of Palhares.

The Palhares fight would be one of the biggest fights any promotion outside of the UFC could make. Palhares has the style of grappling that could lead to a very crowd-pleasing fight for Shields. The only question is whether WSOF could sign Shields and make the fight happen.

No matter which way Shields decides to go, he will have the opportunity to compete in meaningful fights. 

 

Shields Has Almost No Shot to Get back into the UFC

Shields is a 35-year-old fighter with a style that often bores the audience. That is not a good recipe for a fighter to get back in the UFC. Shields is on the downside of his career, and it is very unlikely that he could reinvent himself into an aggressive fighter.

Shields has been in MMA since 1999 and still has a very average striking game, so it doesn’t seem like he could become an effective striker any time soon.

Shields’ only hope to become a more entertaining fighter is to take more risks while on top. He needs to attack for submissions more, which might leave himself a little more vulnerable than in the past.

However, that is very unlikely. Therefore, because of his age and skill set, it is unlikely we will see Shields fighting in the octagon ever again.

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Dana White on Release of Jake Shields: ‘He’s Just Another Guy’

The UFC made headlines Monday with its decision to cut former Strikeforce champ Jake Shields, but UFC President Dana White has to be wondering what all the controversy is about.
Speaking with Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports, White reviewed the factors that…

The UFC made headlines Monday with its decision to cut former Strikeforce champ Jake Shields, but UFC President Dana White has to be wondering what all the controversy is about.

Speaking with Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports, White reviewed the factors that went into the UFC cutting ties with Shields:

We look at everything. Everything. Money has something to do with it. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t. But that wasn’t the only reason or the main reason. It was a part of the piece of the puzzle as we were doing our evaluation of him.

Shields was released from the UFC following a decision loss to former Bellator middleweight champ Hector Lombard at UFC 171. Lombard controlled the fight from bell to bell and left little doubt as to who the clear victor was.

White went further in his disection of the UFC’s decision and pretty much stated that the UFC welterweight division won’t be missing anything with Shields’ departure.

Mixed Martial Arts is a young man’s game. I like Jake Shields a lot. But let’s be honest here: Where was he going in this [welterweight] division of animals we have? He’s on the downswing, and he’s never going to be the guy. His stand-up never improved. He hasn’t really shown anything in his last couple of fights to make you go, ‘Holy [expletive].’

Right now, at this point, he’s just another guy.

To be fair, Shields has defeated a number of top welterweights in the promotion. He holds a victory over Carlos Condit, Tyron Woodley and Demian Maia. He also hadn’t lost since 2011.

White alluded to Iole that Shields was due to make $120,000 for his next contest, and while that’s not a lot for the promotion in the grand scheme of things, it is a lot for someone who isn’t a big draw.

Shields’ fighting style has never been classified as exciting, and although he’s talented for sure, the only reason people would tune into a fight featuring Shields was to hope that he’d lose.

Shields’ release is very similar to that of Yushin Okami and Jon Fitch. All three men were highly ranked (although Shields is currently ranked at 11, something White made sure to point out to Iole) at the time of their release, and they were cut after a single loss.

The former Strikeforce champion likely won’t have to sit on the sideline for very long. Expect Bellator and World Series of Fighting to make a play for Shields in the coming days. One option I’ve seen discussed that I think could provide some intrigue is if Shields signed with ONE FC, via Paul Quigley of Fighters Only.

A Shields-Ben Askren fight would be arguably the biggest in ONE FC’s history and would get a lot of eyeballs to its product that previously weren’t watching. It would also give Askren the chance to face a credible name to validate his status as a top 10 welterweight.

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Jake Shields Release Highlights UFC’s Unfortunate Entertainment-First Philosophy

I awoke on Monday morning to the strangest news: Former Strikeforce champion Jake Shields was released from the UFC, per Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com.
Jake Shields, who had defeated Yoshihiro Akiyama, Tyron Woodley and Demian Maia over th…

I awoke on Monday morning to the strangest news: Former Strikeforce champion Jake Shields was released from the UFC, per Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com.

Jake Shields, who had defeated Yoshihiro Akiyama, Tyron Woodley and Demian Maia over the past two years. He also beat Ed Herman, though that one was overturned due to a failed drug test.

Jake Shields, who was nearing title contention heading into his UFC 171 bout with Hector Lombard. Sure, Shields lost that bout, and he wasn’t excited to do so. But that doesn’t mean he wasn’t discussed as a potential title contender going into it. He loses the fight, and loses his job.

How does that make sense?

The answer: It does not make sense. Not at all.

You see, Jake Shields is still one of the world’s better mixed martial artists. His stand-up has improved from his early days on the fighting circuit, but he’ll never be confused with an Anderson Silva. He’s still a monster of a grappler.

We can talk until we’re blue in the face about the good things and the bad things Shields does in the cage. None of it means anything, because the truth is that Shields was fired from his job because he is a boring fighter.

That’s it. Like Jon Fitch and Yushin Okami before him, Shields is boring, and he paid the price. The bloodthirsty fans attracted to UFC events don’t enjoy watching him fight. Why would they, when they have been conditioned by years of UFC programming highlighting “wars” and “battles”?

The greatest fights in UFC history are wild brawls featuring a lot of blood and not much in the way of cardio or technique.

Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar? Check. Dan Henderson vs. Shogun Rua? Check. Bigfoot Silva vs. Mark Hunt? Check.

Diego Sanchez is held up as a model for the kind of fighter the UFC would like to see. He competes on guts and heart. He’ll take 500 punches to the head to give out one of his own, as long as the crowd is cheering. And it’s okay if his record is just 3-5 in his last eight Octagon appearances, because he’s a warrior, man. A warrior.

It doesn’t matter if he loses (and he mostly loses these days), because he leaves it all in the Octagon.

Whatever that means.

Dana White likes to champion a future where the UFC is the biggest sport in the world. This is a ludicrous idea, of course.

Despite White’s assurances to the contrary, fighting is not in our DNA. Most of us don’t get it. Most of us don’t like it.

Most of us, seeing a fight break out on a street corner, would not sit by and watch like a buffoon. We’d call for help and try to break it up. We would call the cops, because fighting is not a civilized thing. It is a brutal thing. It is an untamed thing.

Some of us fell in love with the wild side of fighting long ago. But I am cognizant enough to realize that I do not speak for the majority of the world’s population.

If the UFC were to somehow make incredible gains in popularity and overtake the NFL and soccer, it still would not be the biggest sport in the world. Because it is not a sport. It is a professional wrestling promotion sans predetermined outcomes.

The UFC can’t create something like The Undertaker’s legendary streak that ended at WrestleMania. But they sure as hell can keep boring fighters out of their Octagon in favor of guys who aren’t.

And it doesn’t matter if you lose three or four fights in a row; if you are exciting, you will get every chance in the world to keep your job.

If you aren’t exciting? If you are a Shields or Okami or Fitch?

Well, you better have a backup plan, because you will find out that the way you have chosen to pursue your art is not the correct one.

It is an unfortunate reality, but it is reality. And it is a reality that will continue to mold the style of the fighters we see in the Octagon for decades to come.

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And Now He’s Fired: Jake Shields Cut by UFC Following Loss to Hector Lombard


(Jake’s drowsy-teenager defense was no match for the hard-hitting Cuban. / Photo via Getty)

Jake Shields’s decision loss to Hector Lombard last month at UFC 171 was his first defeat in two-and-a-half-years — and yet, it was enough of a justification for the UFC to cut him from the promotion. Shields’s manager Lex McMahon confirmed the firing with MMAFighting.com this morning, putting out the following statement:

“Jake Shields has been released by the UFC. Jake appreciates the opportunities provided by the UFC and thanks Dana White and Lorenzo Fertita. Jake is an elite athlete who is one of the best welterweight fighters in the world with a long history of winning at a championship level. Jake and our team are already exploring options. I’m confident that Jake will have a new promotion to call home very soon. Jake thanks his fans for their support and looks forward to competing for them again soon.”

Not since Jon Fitch have we been this shocked and outraged over the firing of a fighter who we didn’t really care for in the first place. Shields was coming into the Lombard match on a two-fight win streak, with split-decision victories over Demian Maia and Tyron Woodley. And he would have been riding a four-fight win streak if not for the mysterious no-contest he caught after winning a decision against Ed Herman in a middleweight bout at UFC 150, then failing his drug test.


(Jake’s drowsy-teenager defense was no match for the hard-hitting Cuban. / Photo via Getty)

Jake Shields’s decision loss to Hector Lombard last month at UFC 171 was his first defeat in two-and-a-half-years — and yet, it was enough of a justification for the UFC to cut him from the promotion. Shields’s manager Lex McMahon confirmed the firing with MMAFighting.com this morning, putting out the following statement:

“Jake Shields has been released by the UFC. Jake appreciates the opportunities provided by the UFC and thanks Dana White and Lorenzo Fertita. Jake is an elite athlete who is one of the best welterweight fighters in the world with a long history of winning at a championship level. Jake and our team are already exploring options. I’m confident that Jake will have a new promotion to call home very soon. Jake thanks his fans for their support and looks forward to competing for them again soon.”

Not since Jon Fitch have we been this shocked and outraged over the firing of a fighter who we didn’t really care for in the first place. Shields was coming into the Lombard match on a two-fight win streak, with split-decision victories over Demian Maia and Tyron Woodley. And he would have been riding a four-fight win streak if not for the mysterious no-contest he caught after winning a decision against Ed Herman in a middleweight bout at UFC 150, then failing his drug test.

Still, Shields was unable to secure a single stoppage victory in eight attempts within the Octagon, and his blowout losses to Georges St-Pierre, Jake Ellenberger, and Lombard secured his “perennial contender” status. Unless there’s more to this story, it seems like the UFC simply fired Shields at its first opportunity because he was no longer of any use to the promotion. Perhaps Shields was too [expletive] expensive for the UFC to keep around; that’s the drawback of being a highly-ranked veteran without a real fanbase.

The question is, where does Shields go from here? Should he sign with the World Series of Fighting and join their deep roster of welterweight UFC castoffs? Should he go to OneFC and set up the superfight against Ben Askren that hardcore MMA fans have been begging for (just kidding)? Let us know what you think, and how you feel about Shields’s firing — is it bullcrap, or long overdue?

UFC Releases Jake Shields After UFC 171 Loss to Hector Lombard

The UFC has released former welterweight title contender Jake Shields after an eight-fight stint with the promotion that began in October 2010. 
News of the fighter’s release broke early Monday morning via MMAfighting.com’s Ariel Helwani. 

D…

The UFC has released former welterweight title contender Jake Shields after an eight-fight stint with the promotion that began in October 2010. 

News of the fighter’s release broke early Monday morning via MMAfighting.com’s Ariel Helwani. 

During Shields’ time in the UFC, he challenged for the 170-pound championship, losing via unanimous decision to Georges St-Pierre at UFC 129. While Shields was relatively ineffective in that fight, he became the first man to win a round against the champ since Josh Koscheck stole a single frame at UFC 74 some four years earlier in 2007. 

This, unfortunately, is arguably Shields’ greatest achievement during his UFC stint, and now he finds himself testing the open market for a potential employer in the wake of his release. 

Shields’ latest loss to Hector Lombard at UFC 171 was an absolute drubbing, and the former title challenger was thoroughly outclassed in all facets of the game.

Let’s be honest here, though. This loss is not why Shields was released Monday morning.

Shields, like Jon Fitch and Yushin Okami before him, is a completely sound fighter capable of competing at a high level inside the Octagon.

But he doesn’t finish fights.

He’s expensive.

He doesn’t hype fights well. 

The UFC has shown that they do not care to keep fighters like this around longer than they need to, and Shields currently suffers from this fact. 

The debate on whether the UFC is justified in doing so or not will never be settled, unfortunately. 

From a business standpoint, the release makes perfect sense. They’re saving money, and they’re dropping a fighter that doesn’t move the needle particularly well for the company.

Is it ethical? Is it fair? 

It simply depends on how you feel about the situation. 

Personally, I will not cry myself to sleep knowing that Jake Shields’ days inside the UFC Octagon have come to an end. 

But the man was 3-1 (1) in his last five fights, and that no-contest was realistically a decision victory over Ed Herman at UFC 150 until Shields failed his post-fight drug test. 

It’s strange seeing skilled veterans get tossed aside, but that’s just the nature of the beast. 

Where would you like to see Shields finish his MMA career? Bellator? World Series of Fighting? 

Wherever he ends up, he will almost certainly become a contender in short order, so not all is lost for the 35-year-old Cesar Gracie product. 

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UFC 171 Results: Why Are We Talking About Everyone BUT Johny Hendricks?


(Photo via Getty)

By Matt Saccaro

At UFC 171, Johny Hendricks decisioned Robbie Lawler
in one of the greatest fights in recent memory. The two men traded punches, bled, and even smiled during their 25-minute brawl that saw Hendricks leave Dallas as the UFC welterweight champion…but nobody really cares about that.

The “morning after” discourse isn’t about Hendricks overcoming a perilous weight cut or about the implications of Hendricks being the first champ of the post-GSP era. It’s about two stars of a bygone era—Nick Diaz and Georges St-Pierre.

Nick Diaz stole some of the press at the weigh ins, heckling Hendricks for being a pound and a half heavy. That stunt soon snowballed into something more. At an unofficial media scrum, Diaz proclaimed that he was in fighting shape. In an interview with SportsNet, Diaz elucidated his presence in Dallas.


(Photo via Getty)

By Matt Saccaro

At UFC 171, Johny Hendricks fought Robbie Lawler in what became an instant classic. The two men traded scores of punches, bled, and even smiled during their 25-minute brawl that saw Hendricks leave Dallas as the UFC welterweight champion…but nobody really cares about that.

The “morning after” discourse isn’t about Hendricks overcoming a perilous weight cut or about the implications of Hendricks being the first champ of the post-GSP era. It’s about two stars of a bygone era—Nick Diaz and Georges St-Pierre.

Nick Diaz stole some of the press at the weigh ins, heckling Hendricks for being a pound and a half heavy. That stunt soon snowballed into something more. At an unofficial media scrum, Diaz proclaimed he was in fighting shape. In an interview with SportsNet, Diaz elucidated his presence in Dallas.

“[The UFC] bought me a ticket, for once, they bought me an actual ticket…Maybe they want me to fight Johny Hendricks! Take an ass-whooping right to your face, bro…I’m ready to fight. I’m ready to fight the right fight…I need a title fight. I need a real fight. Give the fans what they wanna see. That’s why I’m here.”

The heat is on Diaz, now, not the guy who just captured the belt. But it wouldn’t be a welterweight affair without GSP’s name being thrown around, which it was by Hendricks himself at the post-fight presser.

To an extent, it’s understandable why people aren’t pouring paragraphs of praise on Hendricks; he’s mild-mannered. Even his call-out of GSP was tame. And his views on star power are problematic for an organization reeling after the loss of its biggest names.

“I think you can let your fighting [talk],” Hendricks said in response to Diaz claiming he was the only draw in the division. “I think this is what’s gonna do real good for our weight class—let the fighting do everything.”

That’s certainly an admirable way to look at combat sports, but it isn’t true. To quote The Simpsons, “Every good scientist is half B.F. Skinner and half P.T. Barnum.” Just so, every fighter needs to be half Georges St-Pierre and half Chael Sonnen. It has been proven time and time again that emotional investment generates PPV buys. “These two fighters really hate each other” sells well, even if it’s not the truth. “I respect him; he’s a great opponent” always fails to move the needle, as factual as it might be. In that regard, not pushing Hendricks in articles is forgivable. His behavior and words won’t garner page views and aren’t conducive to strong post-fight narratives.

Dana White is also partially responsible for the lack of hype because he was mum regarding the future of welterweight. What can the media write about other than Diaz vs. Hendricks if the boss shrugs his shoulders at a division teeming with contenders? Another issue is that the would-be challengers, in the minds of some, didn’t look wholly impressive. Tyron Woodley defeated Carlos Condit due to a “freak injury” and Hector Lombard bested Jake Shields but many felt the fight was lackluster. Diaz, despite having not fought in a year and being on a two-fight losing streak, somehow came out of UFC 171 looking like the most impressive welterweight.

UFC 171 was a spectacular event, but the fallout was anything but. Perhaps some part of the blame for the UFC’s inability to create stars falls on our shoulders, since when we have a chance to try and build a new star, we ignore him and bellow smoke into old ones, just so their waning flames might linger a little while longer.