The UFC has released former welterweight title challenger Jakes Shields.
Shields’s manager Lex McMahon confirmed the news on Twitter Monday.
The 35-year-old former Strikeforce middleweight champion is coming off a one-sided loss to Hector Lombard at UFC 171 in March and had a 4-3 record in the UFC with one no contest.
Shields (29-7-1, 1 NC) isn’t known for a fan-friendly fighting style, but he is still a top-ranked 170-pounder, so the move comes as a surprise to many.
“Jake Shields has been released by the UFC. Jake appreciates the opportunities provided by the UFC and thanks Dana White and Lorenzo Fertita,” McMahon said in a statement to MMAFighting, which first reported the news.
“Jake is an elite athlete who is one of the best welterweight fighters in the world with a long history of winning at a championship level. Jake and our team are already exploring options. I’m confident that Jake will have a new promotion to call home very soon. Jake thanks his fans for their support and looks forward to competing for them again soon.”
In his four fights prior to the Lombard loss, Shields won decisions over Tyron Woodley, Demian Maia, Yoshihiro Akiyama and Ed Herman – the win over Herman was changed to a no contest when he tested positive for a banned substance in his post-fight drug screening.
Shields made his UFC debut in October 2010 riding a 14-fight win streak at the time. He won a split decision over Martin Kampmann in his promotional debut, which earned him a title shot against Georges St-Pierre at UFC 129. Although he lost a unanimous decision to GSP, Shields became the first person to win a round against the Canadian during his second championship reign.
In his 15-year MMA career, Shields has earned notable wins over the likes of Dan Henderson, Robbie Lawler, Carlos Condit, Paul Daley, Mike Pyle, Yushin Okami and Hayoto Sakurai.
As of Monday afternoon, Shields’s official fighter bio still appeared on the UFC’s website.
