Yoshihiro Akiyama to face Jake Shields in Japan
Posted on November 14, 2011, 05:36 PM by Trent Reinsmith
After going 1-3 during his middleweight run in the UFC, Yoshihiro Akiyama listened to those that said he should be fighting at 170 pounds instead of 185. “Sexyama” will make his debut at welterweight at welterweight at UFC 144, which will take place on February 26, 2012 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. Akiyama’s opponent for the fight, according to the UFC, will be Jake Shields.
Akiyama came to the UFC in July of 2009 with a record of 13-1-0-2. He earned a split decision over Alan Belcher in his debut ay UFC 100 and then followed that with three straight losses to Chris Leben, Michael Bisping and Vitor Belfort. His fights against Belcher, Leben and Bisping all garnered him “Fight of the Night” honors.
Shields, a former EliteXC and Strikeforce champion, will enter the fight on a two fight losing streak, dropping fights to Georges St-Pierre and Jake Ellenberger after scoring a win over Martin Kampmann in his UFC debut.
Further Reading: Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson set to headline UFC's return to Japan
Photo: UFC fighter Yoshihiro Akiyama of Japan during a training session before UFC 116 on June 30, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Francis Specker
Comments
as much as i dislike Jake Shields - this will be a one sided match with the complete domination of Yoshihiro Akiyama
Only if there's a stamina issue. Why is shields staying at 170? Before GSP called him out(a mystery to all by the cynics) he hadn't fought at 170 for like 3 years...why stay there now when it's clearly not where he should be?
Can understand akiyama though....185 was not kind to him and he was undefeated before. I guess that's my way of saying this match should never be happening, but it'll be interesting
Akiyama and Kampmann can't catch a break....both have just fought monsters in the UFC, I think Shields will be able to take Akiyama down and grind out a decision, would suck to see Akiyamam get cut the guy always puts on exciting fights
shields by submission. unless akiyama ko's him with sexiness.....?
the sexiness will penetrate through the Shield
U just sayed a man is gonna penetrate another man :O ... maybe i wont watch dis!! :P
Shields is fighting, definitely someone's going to get penetrated - or at least dry humped and grinded for 15 minutes
Akiyama has a stunning TDD percentage, great judo skills, better striking than Jake and he´ll fight in front of his crowd (= no jet lag).
Interesting match up though, but I don´t think there will be any surprises.
On paper Akiyama looks like a tough fight for Shields with potentially better grappling and excellent TDD as well as probably better striking (although GSP came up fairly even with him there). That said, Akiyama has horrible cardio and this will be his first wt cut. I think Jake will grind out a decision.
Good points. Chapeau!
Thanks. What does "chapeau" mean? Is that French?
zzzZZZZzzZZZZzzzzZZZZzzzzzZzZZZZZ
im suprisee i dont have any weaks????
There you go
hmm that is pretty interesting but if Akiyama loses he will without a doubt be cut by the UFC. I hate to say it but I see Shields winning this fight in Akiyamas home country. Jake has more tools and fights smarter but anything can happen.
I could easily go the other way and see Jake shields being the one on the way out. Akiyama has hands whereas shields has a bitch azz stand up game. The gameplan has already been laid to beat jake shields, He lost to Hendo, Kampman was totally robbed and he got KTFO by Jake Ellenberger. If you keep him on his feet you win.
He did survive the GSP bout on his feet but GSP has no real power in his hands, only an very improved Jab.
Akiyama would do well with his back against the wall to spend his wad early and swarm Jake. I'll bet he has no awnser again. Everyone says they are a fighter until they get hit in the mouth. Jake folds when he gets hit and the proof is in the film.
Jake Shields didn't lose to Hendo what are you talking about?
This dude is special.
I stand corrected You are right! Hendo was brought in to beat the departing shields and he barely survived the first round then domminated Hendo on the ground. Everyone makes a mistake now and then, an I am the first to admit I erred there,
It's no big deal man. I think if Hendo didn't have to cut so much weight ( we are talking at least 40 pounds here) he would have more power to finish Shields.
atleast 40 pounds? when had hendo ever weighed over 225?
Hendo dropped no where near 40 lbs for that fight. He is either too old to cut wt at this point or he was injured.
Akiyama drops to welterweight because his one the smallest middleweights and still fights a bigger guy...
He is bigger than Jake Shields. Shields is just taller.
The question is, will Akiyama actually cut weight for 170 or just slim down?
If he doesn't cut weight, I think he'll have problems. Shields will be at least 185 by the time of the fight and will manhandle Yoshihiro if he's at 170.
what's with the high profile akiyama fights? i mean don't get me wrong, he's one sexy mofo, but i don't recall him having any impressive W's in the octagon, then he gets Jake Shields?
is he dana white's japanese michael bisping?
I partly agree but Jake is on a two fight losing streak so it makes some sense. Considering how unpopular Jake is with the casual fans I can see him being one fight away from being dropped in order to prevent him from stealing the spotlight from more popular fighters.
In the post fight interview Dan said that he had a bad weight cut and it caused him to gassed out. There my point.
@ Random MMA
Great point about sexy being Danas Bisping. He has been looking for a great Japanese star for some time to re tap the Japanese market. Kid yamamoto, Stun gun, Akiyama, Gomi. Anyone with any loyal japanese pedigree to headline a home country Show. Good luck with that Dana. Try finding some Sumo wrestlers riddled in scandal to fight Brock!
cutting weights gonna be terrible for akiyama if he doesn't somehow finish in round1, he can barely make it off his stool for round3 at his natural weight