Roy Jones tried straddling weight classes and it virtually ruined him; Jake Shields isn’t paying that much attention. The welterweight that defeated middleweight Robbie Lawler last June told MMAJunkie Radio Monday that he feels capable of contending for belts at both 170 and 185 pounds.
The analogy is a little shaky: Jones tried his hands at heavyweight, adding considerable mass, whereas Shields appears to be just cutting less and climbing into the cage as a smaller middleweight. But it does to speak to the lack of focus precipitated by Strikeforce’s welterweight division: Shields appears bored at his natural weight.
Shields didn’t have much of answer for the idea that training partner and friend Nick Diaz has the same attitude: take fights at whatever weight they come in at. One seems equally likely of sabotaging the other’s career arc at random. If you’re a fan with OCD, these can’t be two of your favorite fighters at the moment.