The upcoming battle between Jake Shields and Jason “Mayhem” Miller will not only showcase two of MMA’s rising stars, but it will also crown the new Strikeforce middleweight king.
I had the opportunity to watch these guys really develop as fighters while they fought in Hawaii. While I was at the Rumble on the Rock, Jake won our welterweight tournament by defeating Dave Menne, Yushin Okami, and Carlos Condit. I was live for many of Mayhem’s spectacular performances in Hawaii against the likes of Robbie Lawler, Egan Inoue, and Niko Vitale. These two have come a long way since then and I am very excited for this match up.
Jake Shields is stepping up to the middleweight division again and with his recent submission win over Robbie Lawler he’s proven that he belongs there. He is on an unbelievable 12 fight win streak, including 8 straight finishes, and hasn’t lost a fight in almost 5 years. He’s been making really good fighters look bad with his unique blend of “American Jiu-Jitsu”. To put it simply, he’s been crushing guys.
Mayhem is the one of the toughest, most durable fighters in MMA. His exciting, fast paced style is fueled by an endless gas tank and sheer determination. The guy will never quit. Ever. I’ve seen him take severe punishment with a smile, come back for more, and eventually break his opponent down mentally to win the fight. That’s classic Mayhem, the comeback kid.
So it’s the finisher against the guy who refuses to be finished. I can’t wait.
