Finally, Shields signs with the UFC

**windmortal** · 07-16-2010, 08:03 AM

Jake Shields signs with UFC, returning to welterweight division
by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Jul 16, 2010 at 7:25 am ET
Former Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields (25-4-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is no longer a free agent.

As expected, Shields has officially signed with the UFC, and will soon make his debut for the world's biggest mixed martial arts promotion.

And while Shields' father and manager, Jack Shields, in June told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that his son would likely test the waters of the UFC's middleweight division, Jake will instead drop down to his more natural fighting weight of 170 pounds.

The announcement was made Thursday night on GracieFighter.com, a website owned by Shields' trainer, Cesar Gracie.

"Jake Shields will be debuting at the 170-pound weight division in the UFC," the announcement stated. "After careful consideration and consulting with UFC representatives it was determined Jake would be finally going back to his original fighting weight.

"Jake's opponent is one of the UFC's top contenders and will be announced shortly."

UFC president Dana White told MMAjunkie.com earlier this month that he would allow Shields to decide in what division he would like to fight, but he also did little to hide his thoughts on what the right decision would be.

"I think he should come in at 170 pounds," White said. "Our 185-pound division is nasty. He can [come in as a middleweight] if he wants to. I don't think he wants to."

Prior to his three-fight run in Strikeforce, Shields was also EliteXC's first and only welterweight champion. He moved up to a 182-pound catchweight limit and defeated Robbie Lawler in June 2009 before claiming Strikeforce's vacant middleweight title by defeating Jason "Mayhem" Miller in November 2009.

Shields defended the title in an upset win over Dan Henderson in April, but his contract, which was inherited by Strikeforce, did not contain a champion's clause, thus allowing him to become a free agent.

Shields is currently riding a 14-fight win streak that dates back to 2005. In addition to the wins over Henderson, Lawler and Miller, Shields has also defeated UFC veterans Paul Daley, Nick Thompson, Mike Pyle, Renato Verissimo, Carlos Condit, Yushin Okami and Dave Menne during his current run.