Jake Shields

In his early years, Shields was home-schooled and raised in Mountain Ranch, a remote of part of California's Sierra Nevada Mountains. As the child of hippie parents, Jake had long hair which made him a frequent target of other kids which lead to fights. With his older brothers, Shields took up caving, mountain biking and snowboarding. At age 9, Shields started competing in sports and took up wrestling, just as his older brothers had. While attending Calaveras High School, shields competed in the Amateur Athletic Union National Freestyle Championships and later qualified for the U.S.A/Fila Nationals & World Team Trials in different divisions. Shields became a two time All American at Cuesta College. In September 1999, while attending Cuesta College, Shields began MMA training at SLO Kickboxing Academy after meeting its owner, Chuck Liddell, who encouraged him to try the sport. A month later, it was due to an injured teammate which leads to Shields, a natural welterweight, competing at middleweight for his first professional MMA fight. Shields was as a spectator at a California's Cobra Fighting Federation (CCFF) event, when he offered to fill a vacant spot. Shields had not previously considered MMA to support himself financially, but as something achieve fitness and to learn fighting. His first MMA bout was a success, as he defeated Paul Harrison by TKO in round one. In his second bout, also in CCFF, he won again by way of unanimous decision. Shields suffered defeat for the first time in his third bout at the doings of Marty Armendarez by technical knockout in 'International Fighting Championships (Film, Video and Audio Stock)'. Two months later Shields got a victory over Shannon Ritch by a choke submission. Shields' return to IFC was unsuccessful as the first time. He lost unanimously to Phillip Miller. About this time Shields earned a wrestling scholarship to attend San Francisco State University. In 2001 he relocated to San Luis Obispo to attend the university and then joined Cesar Gracie's gym which conveniently near his home. His time at Cesar Gracie Jiu Jitsu is credited for his grappling skills which lead him to compete in numerous notable grappling tournaments such as the Pan American, Grapplers Quest, Pan Am Submission and Abu Dhabi Combat Club in between MMA competition. (Shields holds grappling competition victories over Jon Fitch, Vinny Magalhaes and Diego Sanchez). He won unanimously over Tracy Hess at Gladiator Challenge's "Gladiator Challenge 3" event. At Gladiator Challenge 6 he submitted Jeremy Jackson by rear-naked choke after two minutes. That same year he attended university was when Shields decided on a career as a MMA fighter. He moved down in weight to compete as a welterweight at Gladiator Challenge 6, defeating Robert Ferguson by decision. Shields' winning streak was ended by Ray Cooper in the Warriors Quest promotion, as he lost by majority decision. It was one of the few occasions in the early part of his career where Shields left his home state of California for a fight. Despite the loss to Cooper, Shields was offered his biggest MMA fight at that point and travel to Japan to fight top ranking Hayato Sakurai in SHOOTO. With thirteen days to prepare, Shields believed the late notice was a sign he was brought in to lose to one of the promotion's top fighters. Shields won by using his wrestling to control Sakurai on the ground for much of the fight. The unexciting manner in which he triumphed brought criticism of his fighting style-the first of similar sentiments to come years later. In his next SHOOTO bout, he won unanimously over Milton Vieira, and had similar successful results when he fought Akira Kikuchi in his third SHOOTO fight. In his only Pancrase appearance, Shields fought Kazuo Misaki to a draw. In his most decisive bout as a middleweight, he submitted Ray Cooper by rear-naked choke in the first round, winning the vacant SHOOTO Middleweight championships. The event was promoted by SHOOTO Americas, an offshoot of SHOOTO. The first challenger for the title was Akira Kikuchi whom Shields previously defeated in 2003. Kikuchi won their second encounter by unanimous decision, becoming the new SHOOTO middleweight champion. After the loss to Kikuchi, an injury kept Shields out of competition for eleven months before he next fought and got the decision win over Toby Imada at Kage Kombat. Shields entered a Grand Prix to inaugurate a welterweight champion at Rumble on the Rock 8 as part of a tournament qualifying match. He defeated Dave Menne in a quarterfinal bout to advance. At Rumble on the Rock 9, he surpassed Yushin Okami then Carlos Condit in victories by unanimous victories to become the Rumble on the Rock welterweight title. Shields never defended the Rumble on the Rock welterweight title, and next fought in Full Contact Promotions thereafter, beating Steve Berger by technical knockout in round two. In early 2007,Shields fought Ray Steinbeiss in the BodogFight (2006) promotion. Shields obtained an early take-down on Steinbeiss, landed punches from a full mount before pulling guard and getting the guillotine choke submission almost 90 seconds in the bout. At K-1 Hero's Dynamite!! USA event in June 2007, he took on Ido Pariente. He took down Pariente early, then landed strikes before securing a choke submission within two minutes. Around this time Shields agreed to fight Frank Trigg whom at the time was announcing for Pride Fighting Championships (2006). Trigg,who has been frequently critical of Shields, reneged and publicly scorned the idea that any promotion would care enough to have a bout between them. Shields signed with a 3-fight contract "Elite XC" (2007), and fought in September 2007 at Uprising (2007) against Renato Verissimo. Verissimo begun with strikes before getting Shields to the ground. Shields stood up and got a take-down on Verissimoo before landing strikes from the top and winning by technical knockout at the 4-minute mark. Mike Pyle was the next opponent of Shields, whom he fought at Renegade (2007). Pyle connected with a knee strike and took Shields down to the ground. Shields reversed the take-down which allowed the fight to resume as a stand up. Shields landed a left jab and Pyle successfully sprawled to defend the take-down attempt. Shields tried another take-down which worked, as Pyle quickly stood up and was taken down again. Shields controlled the ground action as he landed punches from the top before obtaining a rear-naked choke victory. Shields next competed against Nick Thompson to inaugurate the Elite XC (2007) welterweight champion at Episode #1.2 (2008). Named "Unfinished Business," it was the second EliteXC event televised on CBS television. Shields quickly took Thompson to the ground and mounted him to obtain a one-handed guillotine choke submission within a minute in the fight to become welterweight champion. Paul Daley was the first challenger for the welterweight at Episode #1.3 (2008), "Heat". Known for his powerful punches, Daley started the bout with plenty of them, as Shields attempted to take him down he sprawled. Shields got the take-down and landed punches on Daley from the full mount. Shields set up an arm-bar on Daley but abandoned it. Daley reversed Shields and ended up on top where he launched a ground and pound offensive with elbows which Shields survived. In the second round, Daley missed a head kick then landed another. Shields went for the take-down and Daley prevented it by sprawling. Shields tried a heel hook submission. As Daley fought of the heel hook attempt Shields took him down and landed strikes from the top. Shields adjusted his body and Daley's arm several times before securing an arm-bar and submitting Daley for the victory. "Heat" was the third and final Elite XC (2007) event to be aired on CBS television. Later that month, the promotion closed permanently due to severe financial losses, while Shields and several other fighters remained under contract and could not compete in other fight promotions. Shields' immediate future remained uncertain until March 2009, when Strikeforce (2006), under the leadership of CEO Scott Coker, purchased the contracts of former "Elite XC" (2007) fighters, including that of Shields. Joe Riggs was going to be Shields' first opponent in Strikeforce , however plans were changed, and in June 2009 Shields moved up to the middleweight division to face Robbie Lawler at a catch-weight maximum 182 pounds in the main event at Strikeforce: Lawler vs. Shields (2009). Lawler was the aggressor and attacked with punches and avoided the take-down tries by Shields. Shields connected with kicks before getting a hold of Lawler's neck for the guillotine choke submission. After Cung Le vacated the Strikeforce middleweight championship that September, Shields and Jason Mayhem Miller were name as the competitors for the vacant title. Shields and Miller fought that November at CBS Strikeforce M-1 Global Saturday Night Fights (2009). In the Strikeforce (2006) middleweight championship bout, Shields put Miller to the ground and controlled him for most of the 1st round before Miller had his own take downs. Miller cut Shields in the 2nd round with strikes and took him to ground before Shields reversed and attempted a submission leg-lock. Near the end of the round Miller controlled Shields on the ground. In the early part of the 3rd round, Miller obtained a take-down before Shields quickly stood up and took down Miller. Shields attacked from the top and Miller eventually "monkey roll" and escaped from the bottom and stood up. Miller landed a few strikes before getting taken to the ground by Shields twice more. Miller escaped and took Shield's back, securing a rare-naked choke on Shields with a few seconds left in the round. Shields held on and survived the submission attempt to make it to the 4th round. Miller's punches connected and Shields took the fight to the ground twice and controlled Miller for the rest for the round. In the 5th and final round, Shields traded strikes with Miller before getting the take-down and again controlling Miller on the ground. Shields landed strikes and attempted submissions which Miller escaped. Shields took down Miller, who quickly stood up only to get wrestled to the ground again. Miller escaped from the ground a final time before fight ended. Jake Shields won unanimously on the judge's score cards, becoming the new Strikeforce (2006) middleweight champion. The bout drew criticism for mainly happening on the ground with Shields in control but some felt not winning in a decisive manner. Shields would defend the middleweight championship against the newly signed Dan Henderson in the main event at CBS Strikeforce Saturday Night Fights (2010). It would be Strikeforce's second televised card on CBS. Before the bout, the crowd was audibly on Henderson's side along with fight analyst Frank Shamrock, a detractor of Shields. A right hand from Henderson sends Shields to the ground early and he survived by putting Henderson on the defensive with a right leg lock. Henderson escaped the hold and created distance which made the referee force a stand up. Henderson connected with another right hand, hurting Shields again and sending him to the ground. Still hurt, Shields kept falling down as Henderson kept landing strikes including a few uppercuts. Near the end of the round Shields got a single leg take-down. Shields went on the offensive the second round by taking down Henderson and made attempts a rear naked choke. Henderson reverses and ended up on time, but Shields escapes and goes on and landed punches, including hammer fists. Shields continued to control Henderson and the round ended with him landing some punches. Early in the third round during a stand up, Jake landed jabs and got a take-down. Henderson quickly gets up, while Shields landed more punches and gets another take-down and ended up on top. Shields controlled Henderson on the ground and a one-handed guillotine choke from the top which failed as Henderson escaped from it. Shields remained on top and kept landing more strikes in volume, but not severe enough to stop the fight. Shields attempts an arm bar on Henderson who gets off his back while fighting the submission as the round ended. In the fifth and final round, Shields easily evaded the kicks and punches of a weary-looking Henderson. Shields again wrestled him to the ground. Henderson quickly got up and was again taken down by Shields who maintained side control and tried an arm triangle choke submission. Fully mounted, Shields attempted a straight arm-bar submission but could not secure it as Henderson resisted. Shields continued the ground and pound attack, tried another arm before transitioning to a knee bar submission which Henderson survived until the fight ended. Shields defended the Strikeforce middleweight title by unanimous decision from the judges. As he was interviewed by Gus Johnson, Jason Miller (XVI)', who had competed earlier on the card, interrupted the interview to ask Shields about a rematch. Shields first shoved him and his Cesar Gracie Jiu Jitsu training partners-'Nick Diaz(II)', Gilbert Melendez, and Nate Diaz-joined in and attacked Miller. The ensuing chaos became known as the "Strikeforce Brawl" and some questioned if the incident would hurt the still emerging sport. Johnson resumed his interview with Shields, who apologized for what happened. Much was made about the fact that Henderson, the newcomer to the promotion, was heavily promoted over Shields, the reigning middleweight champion. The bout was the last contracted fight for Shields, and Dana White, UFC's President, publicly played up the perceived tension between Shields and Strikeforce to campaign for Shields to sign with UFC, along with his announced plans to drive up Shields' value. Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker stated his intent to not get in a bidding war for Shields. After an exclusive negotiating period ended, neither Shields nor Strikeforce could agree on the terms of a new contract. Shields was released from all his contractual obligations near the end of June, and he later negotiated a deal with Ultimate Fighting Championship (2000).