Jake Shields is set to make his UFC debut against Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann at UFC 121 on Saturday, October 23, 2010. Shields has been wildly successful in Strikeforce and other MMA organizations, but has yet to prove his worth in the UFC where the best and strongest competitors are. To his credit, he dominated former UFC veteran Dan Henderson for four rounds, winning a unanimous decision in his final Strikeforce bout. Dana White, UFC President, has been trying to sign Shields for years, waiting until his Strikeforce contract recently expired. Shields is an extremely dynamic and welcome addition to the welterweight division, and one of the few competitors who actually has a chance at beating current champion Georges St-Pierre.
Before anything like that takes place, Shields will have to get through Kampmann, and that will be no easy task. Kampmann holds wins over notables such as Paulo Thiago and Carlos Condit. He is an excellent striker with great cardio and good submissions. Kampmann wants a shot at Georges St-Pierre’s title, but his recent loss to Paul Daley sidelined his chances. Kampmann needs this win if he wants to see that fight any time soon, especially since Shields is coming into the UFC as somewhat of an automatic title contender.
If Shields wants to cement his already impending title shot he’ll need to make a good impression on Dana White and the UFC brass by beating Kampmann. Shields has a tremendous amount of tools in his toolbox, from striking to top-notch Jiu-Jitsu. He may be the most well-rounded and formidable opponent Kampmann has ever faced.
Kampmann usually prefers to stand with his opponents initially, although he’s not a stranger to submissions when the fight calls for it. He will most likely feel out Shields with punches and see what he has to offer. Shields doesn’t mind striking and will do so if the fight permits it, but he favors the ground where his strengths in Jiu-Jitsu can shine through. Look for Shields to feel out the striking for a bit and then take things to the ground where he can obtain a more dominant position. Stylistically, this fight is an excellent match-up and will be a great bout for the UFC debut of Jake Shields.
Tags: UFC, Welterweight
