Jake Shields Believes He Can Beat Condit, Ready For Title Run

[No More Sorrow]

“For this fight with Akiyama, I was hungry again,” Shields told HeavyMMA. “I hate losing, and the win over Akiyama felt great. I got me back into the win column and back on track. I’m hungry to get back to the top. Now I’m waiting to get my next fight. I really want to get back on track and earn another title shot.

“I’m already back in the gym trying to get better. I’m pushing my standup and every element of my game to become the best fighter I can possibly be. I’m hungry and I want to go out there and take somebody out.”

Head trainer and close friend Tareq Azim has been with Shields since 2006 and over that time has seen the tireless effort Shields invests into improving his game. But Azim saw something different leading up to the bout with Akiyama, leading him to believe Shields was prepared to take things to the next level.

“Leading up to the fight with Akiyama, I saw a very hungry and angry Jake,” Azim said. “He was relentless, and he showcased it in this fight. He kept the pressure on Akiyama and didn’t retreat the entire fight. He went back to being Jake in this fight. He did what he does best, being relentless and coming forward. I think he put on a great performance and fought a smart fight against Akiyama because he didn’t have an answer to what Jake was bringing.

“I don’t think anyone has an answer for Jake Shields because he can keep that relentless up and come at you for 24 hours if he has to. Adding striking to his game only makes him that much more dangerous. He has a great straight punch when he launches it, and that was obvious in how he got Georges St-Pierre and Akiyama to respect it.

“Jake has developed confidence to where he knows how to keep distance and to manage footwork. He knows how to shoot off of a jab or off a straight. I think my style and my system has worked great for Jake, and we’ve done really well together so far. Jake is back. Without a doubt, Jake is back.”

Working behind top-notch grappling and his “American Jiu-Jitsu,” Shields has made the canvas the last place his opponents want to find themselves. But in order to claim championship gold in the UFC, he knows it is going to take solid striking and the ability to use his standup for transitions. While that portion of his game may not be exactly where he wants it, Shields is confident everything will come together and he will become the UFC welterweight champion.

“My striking still has holes, but it has gotten a lot better,” Shields said. “I am going to continue to work and develop my skills and I believe in the next year I’ll be able to stand with the best strikers out there. I still have a little ways to go, but we have definitely made big improvements.

“I came so close to the title and fell short. Now I feel like I’m close again. I’ve beaten the current (interim) champion, Carlos Condit, and Martin Kampmann, who is a top contender right now. I know I can beat these guys, and it all depends on me working my way back up and getting my shot. I’m not sure what’s next, but hopefully the UFC will give me a contender so I can get back up where I want to be.”

I wouldn't mind seeing him back in the title picture, he'll have to string together a couple more wins though. The Akiyama fight was his first fight won after coming off loses to GSP and Jake Ellenberger.

 

[The Cork]

He's pretty boring, but so are most welterweights, and hes done better than anyone against GSP in recent times so why not.

Side note; I hate how awkward he is in his interviews, he always looks at the interviewer then the cameraman like he doesnt know WTF is going on...

 

[Slim]

I've been waiting for this Jake Shields to show up. If he can get his striking up... it'll make things a lot better. His ground game is best in the division but unless he can get them down there... can't use it.

I see Shields/GSP II one day.

 

[Ryan]

I never see Shields beating GSP. I don't think Shields can do anything better than GSP can. GSP can easily go toe to toe with Shields on the ground and you add in the fact that he avoids pretty much all stand up contact whilst getting in those key take downs and hits and it's another loss. Shields would absolutely try to go on the offensive and GSP would catch him. Same story every time someone tries to go on the offensive with Silva. He waits for those little mistakes and then capitalizes in a big way. I'm not saying GSP will finish the fight, cause ever since that TKO loss to Serra he's pretty much the most conservative fighter in the UFC, but he knows how to win those rounds.