UFC NEWS: Jake Shields still getting title shot, will be cageside at UFC 124 in Montreal

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Despite a poorer than expected performance in his UFC debut, Jake Shields will still get the next shot at the UFC Welterweight Champion, whomever that may be come December 11.

Speaking with MMAWeekly.com, Shields said he wouldn't have been surprised if the UFC decided not to give him the shot based on his performance, but is glad that they're keeping their word.

"It was a great feeling because after that fight I knew I put on such a poor performance, I wouldn?t have been surprised at all if [UFC president Dana White] said either [Jon] Fitch or [Carlos] Condit or something for the title shot," Shields said. "I wouldn?t have blamed him at all cause I was so mad at myself for putting on such a bad performance."

?I think it?s awesome that they?re still giving me the shot. Even though this wasn?t the best performance, I honestly do still feel I deserve a title shot, on a 15-fight winning streak, over some pretty decent opponents.?

Shields' next step is a cageside seat in Montreal to scout out his next opponent. And while he wouldn't be opposed to fighting Josh Koscheck, despite training with him in the past, it's clear he'd like to face GSP, and hopes if that fight takes place that they'll face off in Toronto. If that happens, he's ready to play the role of the bad guy in Canada as well.

?I would definitely rather fight GSP,? Shields said. ?One, he's the bigger name, the bigger star, and it's a guy I've wanted to fight for a while, and two, I don't really want to fight Josh. I've been training with him forever, I mean I'll definitely fight him because it's business, but fighting against your sparring partners is kind of weird to me. Not that I won't do it, just not something I?m really stoked to do.?

"I definitely plan on going up to Montreal and be watching to see who I'm fighting. Maybe I'll pull a Koscheck and bash their hockey team or something like that. There?s a possibility of me fighting him in Toronto in that big 50,000 seat arena or whatever it is. You might as well make them hate you like Koscheck?s done."

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Penick's Analysis: Like I said in my roundtable response this morning, it's not as if Shields doesn't have the resume to warrant the title shot. I wouldn't have given it to him initially, but I understand why the UFC is making that move. He'll have a very tough fight against the winner of GSP-Koscheck (GSP), and if he faces St. Pierre in Toronto it will be a very big fight. I don't know that he showed much in the Kampmann fight to suggest he can beat GSP at this point, but if he can make the weight cut better than he did at UFC 121 he'll give him a challenge.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_7376.shtml

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