Jake Shields

Shields was lined up to face Jon Fitch for the vacant WSOF welterweight championship at WSOF 30 on April 1, 2016. Though they have never competed together in an MMA contest, Shields holds a victory over Fitch in a submission grappling match. However, the match was later cancelled due to contract issues between Shields and the company.

On September 13, 2016, it was announced that Shields would challenge for the WSOF Welterweight Championship against Jon Fitch on November 12, 2016 at WSOF 34. On October 17, 2016, it was announced that the fight was then rescheduled to take place on December 31, 2016 in the co-main event. Shields lost the fight by unanimous decision.

On April 2, 2016, Shields then fought AJ Agazarm at Polaris 3. The match was controversial as it was plagued with eye gouges and strikes coming from both fighters. At one point in the match Shields slapped Agazarm while both men were standing. The fight ended in the draw.

In his second fight for the promotion, Shields faced Brian Foster in the main event at WSOF 17 on January 17, 2015. He again won the fight via submission in the first round.

Shields faced Rousimar Palhares on August 1, 2015 at WSOF 22. He lost the fight by submission due to a kimura, marking his first loss by submission. This wasn't without controversy as Palhares repeatedly eye gouged Shields after several warnings from the ref, and again held the submission well after Jake tapped, and Shields punched Palhares in the face after the fight was over. Shields also followed with a kick which the referee blocked. Both Shields and Palhares were temporarily suspended by the NSAC after the fight.

Shields fought Hector Lombard on March 15, 2014 at UFC 171. Shields lost the fight via unanimous decision.

On April 6, 2014, it was announced that Shields was released from the promotion.

In April 2014, Shields signed a multi-fight deal with the World Series of Fighting. Shields was expected to compete at WSOF 11 on July 5, 2014 against Jon Fitch. However, Shields was forced out of the bout due to a shoulder injury.

Shields made his debut for World Series of Fighting at WSOF 14 on October 11, 2014 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada against WSOF Canadian Welterweight Champion Ryan Ford. He won the fight via submission in the first round.

On November 22, 2014, Shields fought Roberto Satoshi in a grappling match in Metamoris V. The fight ended in a draw.

At Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers he fought Jason 'Mayhem' Miller for the vacant Strikeforce Middleweight Championship after Cung Le stepped down as champion to pursue his acting career. Shields defeated Miller via unanimous decision (48–47, 49–46, and 49–46).

Shields faced Tyron Woodley in a welterweight bout on June 15, 2013 at UFC 161. The bout was contested on the feet for nearly its entirety in a largely uneventful fight where neither fighter was able to deliver any significant offense. Shields defeated Woodley via split decision.

Shields next faced Demian Maia on October 9, 2013 at UFC Fight Night 29. As expected, the contest between the two decorated jiu jitsu practitioners took place mostly on the ground, and Shields won via split decision.

Shields faced Yoshihiro Akiyama on February 26, 2012 at UFC 144, winning via unanimous decision.

Shields returned to the middleweight division and faced Ed Herman on August 11, 2012 at UFC 150. He won the bout via unanimous decision. However, on October 12, 2012, it was announced that Jake Shields had failed his drug test at UFC 150 and he was subsequently fined and suspended. The result of the fight was overturned to a No Contest. In January 2015 Shields said the failed test was due to a banned diuretic.

Georges St-Pierre won his UFC 124 bout against Josh Koscheck. Shields fought St-Pierre for the UFC Welterweight Championship on April 30, 2011, at UFC 129 in Toronto. Shields lost via unanimous decision (50–45, 48–47, and 48–47). This was Shields's first loss in over 6 years.

Shields faced Jake Ellenberger on September 17, 2011 at UFC Fight Night 25, losing via first-round TKO. This was the first time Shields has been finished in over ten years.

On August 29, 2011, Shields' father and manager Jack Shields died at the age of 67.

Shields successfully defended his title, defeating former Pride World Welterweight Champion Dan Henderson via unanimous decision on April 17, 2010, at Strikeforce: Nashville.

On June 30, Strikeforce released Shields from the organization during his contract renegotiation period. Shields then entered into talks with the UFC, with his manager and father Jack Shields stating that his son is eager to fight against top UFC fighters, such as Anderson Silva. In July 2010, it was reported that Shields was close to signing a deal with the Ultimate Fighting Championship to compete in the promotion's Welterweight division.

Shields made his UFC debut against Martin Kampmann on October 23, 2010, at UFC 121: Lesnar vs. Velasquez. Prior to Shields's UFC debut, Dana White stated that Shields is most likely next for a shot at the UFC Welterweight Championship between the winner of Georges St-Pierre vs. Josh Koscheck if he defeats Kampmann. After Shields defeated Kampmann via split decision, White later confirmed that Shields would receive a title shot against the winner of the Georges St-Pierre vs. Josh Koscheck fight at UFC 124.

Jake Shields stars in and co-produced Fight Life, an award-winning documentary on the sport of MMA, the film is directed by James Z. Feng and released in 2013. Shields appeared in three episodes of Bully Beatdown on MTV and MTV2 on April 12, 2009, a different episode on September 10, and again on an mtv.com exclusive episode. Shields also served as a grappling coach for Chuck Liddell on The Ultimate Fighter 11, and appeared on the channel Animal Planet for episodes of "Wild Recon" and "Venom in Vegas".

Shields was the head instructor of BJJ (Brazilian jiu-jitsu) and MMA at the Fairtex-Gracie affiliate in San Francisco from March 2002 until April 2008.

In the summer of 2001, Shields received a wrestling scholarship to San Francisco State University. At that time he began training with the Cesar Gracie Fight Team, resulting in a dramatic improvement of the jiu jitsu variety. He is a three-time Grapplers Quest Advance Champion, Pan American Championships Jiu Jitsu Champion, Pan Am Open Advance Submission Champion, Gracie Open Superfight Champion and finished 3rd place at the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship in 2005. His victory at the Pan American Championships (which requires wearing a uniform) as a purple belt is notable because Jake Shields claims he has trained "about four hours with the gi in [his] life," and the Pan Americans is one of the largest Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitions in the world. He continued to improve on the kickboxing skills he picked up with Chuck Liddell, by cross-training with the professional Muay Thai kickboxing team at the Fairtex combat Academy, training with Muay Thai Champions Jongsanan Fairtex and Alex Gong. He was awarded the rank of black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu by Cesar Gracie in February 2007.

Shields has a daughter Maddie (born December 2000) and is a single father. He is a lifelong vegetarian. He appeared in both print and video ads for PETA, touting his vegetarian lifestyle.

Shields began amateur wrestling at age nine. He has competed in over 601 folk, freestyle, and submission wrestling matches. Shields was a four-year varsity wrestler and state qualifier at Calaveras High School, finished 2nd place at the Amateur Athletic Union National Freestyle Championships, qualified for U.S.A./ FILA Nationals & World Team Trials in both the junior & university men's divisions. He is also a two-time junior college All-American wrestler from Cuesta College, placing 4th in the California JC state tournament in the 177 lb weight class in 1997 and 3rd in the 197 lb weight class a year later. In September 1999, Shields began his MMA training by joining Chuck Liddell's SLO Kickboxing Academy. Within a few weeks he fought his first fight, filling in for an injured teammate at 185 lbs. Shields fought five fights at 185 lbs "for fun, to stay in shape and learn some self defense". In 2001, Shields decided he wanted to make a career of mixed martial arts and began fighting at his natural weight of 170 lbs (77 kg).

Jake Sequoyah Shields (born January 9, 1979) is an American mixed martial artist, currently fighting in the welterweight division for the PFL. He was the last Rumble on the Rock Welterweight Champion, the only Elite XC Welterweight Champion, a former Shooto Welterweight Champion and former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion. He also fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) challenging George’s St. Pierre for the Welterweight championship.