Jake Shields Signs with the UFC, but is He Ready for the Sport’s Best?

After months of speculation, it’s finally (mostly) official: Jake Shields is heading to the UFC. The news broke today that Shields should sign a finalized contract within the week, and will debut in the biggest MMA organization in the world at 170 pounds. Shields is coming off undoubtedly the biggest victory of his career, a Unanimous Decision win over MMA veteran and PRIDE FC legend Dan Henderson. That bout was fought at 185 pounds and was Shields’ first defense of the Strikeforce Middleweight Championship, but after careful consideration, the Shields camp decided that 170 was the place for Jake. But is the UFC in general the place for Jake Shields?

For a while, I honestly didn’t like Jake Shields all that much. I thought he had a really boring “lay and pray” style, someone who wanted to ground you and not finish you, but just control you enough so that he gets the decision. I know it’s hard to fault someone for playing it safe in a sport as potentially dangerous as MMA, but damn it, I’m a consumer. I want to be entertained. And I just didn’t find Jake Shields all that entertaining.

However, Shields managed to win me over with his spirited performance against Dan Henderson, who I thought should have easily outclassed him. Henderson had Shields in deep trouble during the first round, and as soon as Jake Shields secured his first takedown, my eyes started rolling, my anticipation started draining, and I had the sinking feeling that I was in for a long night. Not so. While some still criticize Shields for using the dreaded “lay and pray” on Henderson, I found Shields to be more active on the ground than ever before. Shields, cast mostly as a sacrificial lamb, survived a first-round onslaught to go on and dominate one of the best wrestlers in MMA for the next four rounds. Jake deserved and received both my respect and admiration for such a fantastic performance.

So yes, I actually do think that Shields will do just fine in the UFC’s welterweight division. Let’s be honest here, folks: since the UFC gave Paul Daley the ban-hammer for his post-fight cheap shot at current #1 Welterweight contender Josh Koscheck, the only top-level pure knockout artist in the UFC’s welterweight division is Thiago Alves. Just about everyone else is a ground technician: Georges St. Pierre, John Fitch, Matt Serra, Matt Hughes, the aforementioned Josh Koscheck, etc.  Martin Kampmann has only one more (T)KO than submission. Mike Swick has lost two straight and I honestly no longer consider him top-level. I could go on, but my point is this: in a weight division dominated by wrestling and BJJ, Jake Shields will be right at home. His grappling, takedown, and ground control have all never looked better.

Do I see a potential title run in Jake Shields’ future? It’s not the craziest thing I’ve ever heard, especially with 2010 having some of the biggest upsets and come-from-behind victories of recent history, but he’s going to have his work cut out for him. Which is why I think his run in the UFC will be so entertaining to watch. I think Jake Shields is ready to step into the Octagon against the best in the world, and I can’t wait to see how he does in the UFC.

So what do you think, fans and friends? Will Jake Shields sink or swim in the UFC shark tank? And who do you want to see him debut against?