Personal Best: Shields fights his way to top of MMA scene

San Francisco’s Jake Shields, currently the Strikeforce middleweight champ, has won 13 consecutive fights since 2004. (Getty Images file photo)

SAN FRANCISCO — San Franciscan Jake Shields captured the Strikeforce mixed martial arts middleweight championship 
(185-pound limit) on Nov. 7 in front of a sold-out crowd of 11,512 at the Sears Centre Arena near Chicago. Millions across the country watched the nationally televised prime-time broadcast on CBS. 

The former San Francisco State wrestler wasn’t entirely satisfied with the outcome, however, after his unanimous five-round decision over Jason “Mayhem” Miller.

“I don’t like decisions. I’ve become spoiled,” Shields said. “It feels a lot better to get a submission or a knockout. I couldn’t put him away.”

The 30-year-old Shields has won 13 consecutive MMA fights dating back to 2004, and he is one of only three fighters to be ranked in the Top 10 of two weight classes in Si.com’s rankings. The welterweight and middleweight even competed as a heavyweight while at S.F. State.

“He always does what he is asked,” says manager and father Jack Shields.

The eight-year resident loves San Francisco, where he lives in the SoMa district near AT&T Park. It’s a convenient bridge away from the gym that he owns near the Cal campus, and three hours from where he was raised, Mount Ranch in the Sierras. Home-schooled until junior high, the lifelong vegetarian took up wrestling at the age of 9.

“As the youngest of three brothers, I got beat up all the time. Now it’s payback time,” Shields jokes.

Specializing in the ground-and-pound element of MMA, Shields developed American jiu-jitsu. This style combines his wrestling experience — he has over 650 lifetime matches under his belt — with his Brazilian jiu-jitsu expertise.

“I am predominantly a grappler. I try to bring pressure and make people tap out,” Shields said, referring to the goal of submitting one’s opponent to tap on the mat, thus conceding the bout.

Submission is accomplished by chokes, holds, leg locks and joint manipulation. Boxing, kickboxing and judo are other disciplines represented within the hybrid sport.

Shields is under contract withStrikeforce, one of the two major promoters in the sport. Its competitor is the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The powerful Shields competes in about three bouts annually.

Each fight is preceded by an intense, two-month training camp that prepares him for the extraordinary physical demands required to engage in a cage fight.

Typically, the training regimen includes cardio, weights and sparring four hours a day, six days a week leading up to the camp.

“We do all kinds of stuff,” said Shields, who travels throughout Northern California to find sparring partners. “If you fight at a high level, you have to make sure you’re finding other top-notch training partners.”

Shields is clear that he doesn’t have issues with women competing in the sport, but he dissuades his 8-year-old daughter Madison from entering the ring. 

“Maybe for fun and self-defense,” Shields said. “But it is a brutal sport.”