|
|
  - SHIELDS PREDICTS EXCITING FINISH AT ELITEXC
Thursday, November 08, 2007 - by Damon Martin - MMAWeekly.com
As Jake Shields enters the last fight on his current EliteXC contract to take on Mike Pyle, it will not be for a title as the Cesar Gracie-trained student originally thought. But he still plans on bringing an exciting pace to the show and make his opponent pay for taking away the championship opportunity.
“I definitely was ready for a title fight,” said Shields. “He took the title away from me by not fighting me (for it). I’m sure he has his reasons. It still kind of pisses me off. I’m going to go out there and take it out on him.”
Pyle was not notified of the bout being a five-round title bout until about five weeks prior and determined that wasn’t enough training time. He subsequently opted for a three-round non-title fight instead.
Since his last loss in late 2004, Shields has put together eight wins in a row over many top opponents. Lately it seems his motivation has moved to finishing his opponents with punishing stoppages.
“I think I just keep getting better and better and I’m just going out there going for the kill,” he said about his dominance of late. “I want to go out there and show people that I can finish people and be exciting and destroy people and that’s what I’m going to be doing to Mike Pyle.”
Both fighters are considered top welterweights and superior ground technicians and while Shields respects his opponent’s overall skill, he plans on using his wrestling ability and strength to his advantage.
“Definitely a good chance I’m going to put him on his back and drop some elbows on his face,” he stated. “Everyone keeps saying he has good stand-up, that he’s pretty slick on his feet, really slick on the ground also, but since the ground’s my specialty that’s probably where I’m going to end up wanting to take it.”
The focus of the fight is obviously on Shields and Pyle, but it can’t be ignored that both fighters come from two of the top camps in the United States with Shields training out of Cesar Gracie’s fight team and Pyle training and teaching at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas.
“I want to show that Cesar Gracie’s the real deal and especially with all the hype around Couture right now and all the hype around that gym,” said Shields with pride about his fight team. “That gym’s been there like six months, we’ve been together for like eight years, so there’s a big difference. We’re a real team, they’re a bunch of fighters out there training together.”
The talk about championships and training camps will come to a stop Saturday night when Shields and Pyle meet in the cage, and the top-ten welterweight has an adamant prediction for his opponent.
“Me by TKO or submission in the second or third,” said Shields emphatically.
BACK TO THE NEWS
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday
Related Articles :
- - ELITEXC PRESIDENT ON MMA VS. BOXING PAY (Tuesday, November 06, 2007)
There has long been arguments between boxing and MMA factions. EliteXC's Gary Shaw recently commented on the perceived disparity in pay between the two sports ...
- - KARO PARISYAN & KJ NOONS RADIO TONIGHT (Monday, November 05, 2007)
Tonight MMAWeekly Radio starts the week off big as Damon & Jeff welcome Karo “The Heat” Parisyan and K.J. Noons to the show live starting at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT...
- - READY FOR SHIELDS, PYLE DECLINES TITLE SHOT (Monday, November 05, 2007)
When Mike Pyle steps into the EliteXC cage on Nov. 10 to take on Jake Shields it will be the final fight of his contract. At the conclusion of the bout Pyle and EliteXC will part ways.
- - ELITEXC ADDS MORE WEIGHT CLASSES (Thursday, November 01, 2007)
EliteXC President Gary Shaw on Wednesday announced the addition of two new weight classes for the promotion on a conference call promoting the Nick Diaz versus KJ Noons Nov. 10 title fight...
- - KIMBO'S OPPONENT CHANGED TO BO CANTRELL (Thursday, November 01, 2007)
EliteXC on Wednesday announced that Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson’s opponent for Nov. 10 in Corpus Christi, Texas has been changed from Mike Bourke to Bo Cantrell.
- - KIMBO SLICE & GUY MEZGER RADIO TONIGHT (Friday, October 12, 2007)
Tonight MMAWeekly Radio goes live at 9pm EST/6pm PST and Damon & Jeff will welcome Kimbo Slice and HDNet Fight maker, Guy Mezger, to the Friday edition of SoundOff...
- - KIMBO SIGNS WITH ELITEXC; DIAZ FIGHTS FOR TITLE (Thursday, October 11, 2007)
Representatives of ProElite, Inc. on Thursday confirmed that the company has signed Kevin Ferguson (commonly known as Kimbo Slice) to a long-term contract.
- - ELITE XC: NOVEMBER 10 ON SHOWTIME ()
Copyright 2009 MMA Weekly LLC. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of MMA Weekly content is expressly prohibited without expressed written consent of MMA Weekly. MMA Weekly will not be liable for any errors in content or any action taken in reliance thereof.
|
|
|
|
