Sherdog’s Top 10: Burglars

Jake Shields has won titles in Strikeforce, Shooto and EliteXC. | Photo: D. Mandel/Sherdog.com

4. Jake Shields

Smothering veteran Shields is less a full-on robber than the slick salesman who tricks you into purchasing an extended warranty on the phone you probably will not have for more than a year. Against top competition, his fights are almost always close, largely because he lacks anything resembling finishing ability on the feet. This paragon of pillow-fistedness is durable, aggressive and perfectly willing to engage, but stiff summer breezes have been known to cause more damage than a three-round frontal assault from Shields’ shins and fists.

It is difficult to look at Shields’ record and point to an outright robbery, but there is plenty of room for argument. When he fought Martin Kampmann in his UFC debut, he was soundly outstruck but did just enough with his takedowns and quick transitions to dominant positions on the mat and secure an underwhelming, competitive victory. The American kept it relatively close against Georges St. Pierre, largely by dint of his willingness to rake the Canadian’s eyes with his fingers and plod forward throwing strikes and missing takedowns.

The real controversy started to build when Shields fought Yoshihiro Akiyama and exposed a fundamental flaw in MMA judging. Akiyama stuffed the vast majority of Shields’ takedowns and landed much harder and more effective strikes, but the American walked through Akiyama’s shots, landed a high volume of pitter-patter punches and kicks and took a clear decision on volume. The judges unanimously saw the fight for Shields, and although it did not quite feel right, the reasoning was clear.

This same dynamic came into play in a much more upsetting fashion when Shields fought Tyron Woodley in June 2013. Once again, Shields failed on takedown after takedown but succeeded in landing more volume, while Woodley’s shots were obviously much harder and more damaging. The American took yet another narrow decision from Demian Maia in his next outing, this time on the strength of his smothering control game on the ground.

Shields’ style is tailor-made to win close decisions; his durability makes him almost impossible to hurt; and he shrugs off his opponents’ strikes and continues walking forward, pitter-pattering his way to split decision after split decision even when he cannot impose his ground game. Without completely altering judging criteria or beating him bloody -- as Hector Lombard did -- there is little that can stand in Shields’ way.

Number 3 » Few would have predicted that the ultra-dynamic, athletic and brutalizing Henderson who captured the World Extreme Cagefighting lightweight title would go on to eke out so many razor-thin decisions during his run atop the UFC’s 155-pound division.