One win away from welterweight title: Jake Shields
On the understanding, Jake Shields has entered the UFC that he may only need one victory to set up a welterweight title shot with Georges St-Pierre.
After a stellar career, Shields lands in MMA‘s top organization that saw him become the Strikeforce middleweight champion. In a lengthy catalogue of victims, Dan Henderson was just the latest, which now extends for the Californian fighter to 14 straight wins.
At UFC 121 in October, against Martin Kampmann, Shields is expected to debut, most likely in the co-main event to Brock Lesnar’s heavyweight title defense against Cain Velasquez.
St-Pierre will fight No. 1 contender Josh Koscheck, two months later, and one very clear candidate left to face will be left for the reigning champion.
The UFC UK president, Marshall Zelaznik said, “That’s a fair assessment. If the Kampmann fight happens, you’ve got to remember Kampmann was one fight away from getting a shot at St-Pierre before he lost to Paul Daley. He’s the real deal.”
He added, “So if Jake gets that fight you better believe that he deserves to be right up there if he beats Kampmann. I don’t know how it will play out, obviously Thiago Alves v Jon Fitch comes into the equation, as does the outcome of GSP v Josh Koscheck, but definitely I could see Jake Shields being no more than a couple of fights away from the belt.”
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