The Strikeforce middleweight title bout between champion Jake Shields and Dan Henderson is set to go after both made weight Friday.
Shields, who is defending the belt for the first time since capturing it against Jason (Mayhem) Miller in November, weighed a quarter pound under the limit at 184.75. Henderson, who is making his debut in the organization after failing to reach a new agreement with the UFC, was right on the 185 number.
The two will battle in the main event of Strikeforce: Nashville Saturday night at the Bridgestone Arena, which will air nationally on CBS.
Shields, who until previously fought primarily at welterweight and was the 170-pound champion of EliteXC when it folded, knows that there will be a slight weight disadvantage against Henderson, who is just as comfortable at light-heavyweight and was the reigning Pride champion at both 185 and 205 when it was acquired by the UFC.
However Shields doesn’t think it will be a factor.
“I’ve bulked up. I’m still not a huge 185 pounder, but I feel a lot better,” Shields said on a recent conference all. “I’ve been working with strength trainers. I feel really strong and fast at this weight, it’s the best I’ve felt at185. … He’s coming down and I’m coming up and there’s probably going to be (only) a five-pound weight difference.
“If Dan is a better fighter (Saturday) it has nothing to do with weight.”
Shields, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, has won 13 straight fights overall with most coming via submission, so many expect Dan Henderson to try to exploit Shields’ standup, a perceived weakness in game. But Shields is prepared for wherever the fight goes.
“As far as power goes, I know he has good power, but I’m not the easiest guy to hit and I certainly can take a punch,” Shields said. “I’m ready for it; I’ve worked hard on it.”
Henderson knows he can’t rely on the fight going the way he expects it to, because Shields is dangerous in many aspects of his game.
“There are definitely things I need to watch out for and be careful for,” Henderson said. “This fight is going to be on the ground and everywhere else. I think it’s got the potential to be a really exciting fight.”
Henderson said it was for this very reason he was happy to come over to Strikeforce.
“They’ve got a pretty good, big roster of fighters now (and) some big challenges. It’s not only the money … without the challenge it wouldn’t really excite me.”
In the other two fights on the main card, lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez and challenger Shinya Aoki, the Dream title-holder fighting in North America for the first time as part of a cross-promotion with the Japanese organization, both weighed in at 154.5.
Meanwhile, Gegard (The Dreamcatcher) Mousasi hit the scale at 204.5 for his light-heavyweight title defence against Muhammed (King Mo) Lawal, who was 204.25.
Miller weighed-in at 185 for a non-title undercard bout against Tim Stout (186). Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said the fight may be televised as part of the main card.
NOTES: Shields said he’s very happy at 185 but could fight at 170 again if he wanted to.
“I walk around at 185, so I think I could make weight in two weeks if I had to. But I think I’ll just take it one fight at a time. I’m just looking for the biggest fights.”
He said it depends on what his future holds; he could become a free agent after this fight, although said there is an option for one more fight. There has been talk he could be headed to the UFC next.
