Jake Shields Signs With The UFC, Martin Kampman Is His Likely Opponent.

[Maestro]

UFC president Dana White can finally stop having to answer questions about signing Jake Shields. The former Strikeforce middleweight champion is UFC bound, says the official website of Shields' Cesar Gracie camp.

\"Jake's opponent is one of the UFC's top contenders and will be announced shortly,\" GracieFighter.com stated.

Shields will move down to the division where he spent the majority of his career, 170 pounds.



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Even before the last fight on his Strikeforce contract, it was only time before Shields would join the UFC. Just one week after the Henderson win, Shields was on camera sitting next to White at the WEC 48 pay-per-view in Sacramento. At the end of June it became all but official after Strikeforce took the initiative to release Shields from his contract during their renegotiation period.

\"He wants to be in the UFC, we want him in the UFC, unless something crazy happens in contract negotiations, which I don't anticipate, he should be fighting in the UFC,\" White told MMAFighting.com's Ariel Helwani the day after Shields received his Strikeforce release.

The 31-year-old Shields, who holds an overall MMA record of 25 wins, four losses and one draw, is considered one of the top 170 and 185-pounders in the world. Shields has won his last 14 fights, including wins over Dan Henderson, Jason \"Mayhem\" MIller, Robbie Lawler, Paul Daley as well as current UFC fighters Carlos Condit and Yushin Okami.

Shields is coming off the biggest win of his career, a decisive win over Henderson on CBS to successfully defend the Strikeforce middleweight title.

Jake Shields Signs With UFC -- MMA Fighting

MMABay can EXCLUSIVELY reveal that a welterweight showdown between the UFC’s newest acquisition, Jake Shields and fast rising star, Martin Kampmann is in the works for a UFC card before the end of the year.

A source close to one of the two men revealed the news to MMABay earlier today, saying both men have been approached and seemingly verbally agreed to meet.

Kampmann said about facing Shields to a leading website late last month:

“That would definitely be a good fight as well. He’s tough and he’s ranked real high in the welterweight division. For good reason, I didn’t expect him to beat (Dan) Henderson, he’s definitely good. I’m ready for whoever. I just want to fight guys that’s ranked in the top ten, top five. The higher the better.”

Shields is coming off an ultra-impressive five round decision win over MMA legend, Dan Henderson earlier in the year. He also holds notable wins over Jason “Mayhem” Miller, Paul Daley and Carlos Condit.

As for Kampmann, the Danish star is back on track in the welterweight division after getting knocked out by Paul Daley back in September last year with impressive victories over the likes of Jacob Volkmann and Paulo Thiago.

 

[EmpireWF]

Kampmann is a tough opponent but if Shields can get it to the ground, it's all OVA!

I surmise if he beats Kampmann, it's GSP/Koscheck next.

 

[Kuzzy Powers]

Good start up match.. take away the loss to Paul Daley and Kampman's been on a pretty solid run.

 

[Liquidrob]

Glad Jake wanted the step up in competition, goes from fighting Dan Henderson and possibly Jacare to fighting Martin Kampman

 

[SHOGUN]

Jake knows whats up.

 

[EmpireWF]

I'd say GSP is better than either Jacare or Hendo and as long as he keeps his end up...Shields poses an interesting match-up

 

[Kuzzy Powers]

Glad Jake wanted the step up in competition, goes from fighting Dan Henderson and possibly Jacare to fighting Martin Kampman

Didnt expect Dana to throw him right into the fire did you? Kampman seems like right match-up. You have to remember Strikeforce only has so much to offer in terms of competition for Jake, so they'd be quicker to blow their load on the biggest match-up. In the UFC theres a ton of match-ups to help Jake build himself a fan base with the Zuffa Zombies.

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Jake should have stayed out of the UFC. I'd rather see Hendo II or Jacare...

I know they are going for an eventual GSP or Kos -Shields fight early next year...but blah...JACARE.

 

[Maestro]

Late Thursday evening, Graciefighter.com reported that Jake Shields had come to terms with the UFC, and would debut in the organization as a welterweight in the near future.

However, when MMA Fighting contacted Dana White to confirm the report, the UFC president refuted it.

"Not true," White wrote via text.



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White did confirm that both sides are still negotiating a deal, and appeared confident that one would be reached.

When asked what the hold up was to sign the now former Strikeforce middleweight champion, White responded, "They take time," referring to contract negotiations.

Strikeforce recently announced that they would not be re-signing the 31-year-old Shields. The organization has stripped him of his title, and announced recently a vacant middleweight title fight between Tim Kennedy and Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza on Aug. 21.

Both Shields and the UFC have publicly expressed a desire to work together once Shields' negotiation period completed with Strikeforce.

http://www.mmafighting.com/2010/07/16/dana-white-says-jake-shields-hasnt-signed-with-ufc-yet/

 

[Rush]

Looking forward to his debut

 

[trojan49er]

Interesting that the rumors have him starting at 170, I thought he was planning on staying at 185. Shields/GSP would be a grappling technicians dream fight, but would probably bore the shit out of Joe Six-pack MMA Fan. He's got the best shot out of anyone in the UFC of holding two belts, outside of maybe Anderson. I think at 185, his wrestling gives him a fighting chance against Silva and he's a much more natural 185 than GSP.

 

[Maestro]

Well Dana's denying that he signed.

 

[EmpireWF]

It's now official.

Shields vs. Kampmann at 170 for UFC 121 in October