You were born in San Luis Obispo, California. Is that how you got involved with Liddell's SLO Kickboxing Academy?
Well, I was actually born closer to the Sierras…
Wikipedia gets me again.
(Laughs) So yeah, I was born up there but I moved down to San Luis Obispo for college. I started working out at Chuck Liddell's gym when he wasn’t well known at all.
How'd you make the transition from wrestling and grappling tournaments to mixed martial arts?
I wrestled all throughout high school and college. I was with Liddell for just a few weeks before he had me doing kickboxing and some MMA stuff. All of a sudden, I was fighting real fights.
You're a shooto world champion. For those who don’t know what that is or what it entails, can you tell us a little bit about that?
Sure, Shooto is worldwide and its one of the oldest organizations out there. It’s even older than the UFC. It’s not quite MMA, but it is still a combat sport and it’s very respected in the world. I was the first American to win a shooto belt.
You've beaten some of the biggest guys in the sport, from Carlos Condit to Hayato Sakurai. What would you call the biggest win of your career?
I haven’t had it yet. I’m just getting started here and before I’m done I plan on being the best.
Are you happy with EliteXC or would you ever consider a jump to the UFC?
I mean, I’m always looking at my options and I just want to fight the best. Elite has been really good to be so I have loyalties there, but I do want to continually be upping the competition that I face.
Do you have any upcoming fights booked?
Nothing is signed yet, but I’m looking to fight in March or early April at a couple of different venues.
Who do you want to fight?
It’s sort of out of my hands, but if I could choose, I’d say Georges St Pierre. He’s my number 1 pick.
You haven't lost in over three years. What in your training is responsible for this recent success?
It’s a combination of things. I just trained really hard, for starters. I never feel like I’m good enough either. I feel like I gassed in my last fight, even though I won, so I’m working on cardio. You can’t beat cardio. I’m learning new techniques, new submissions, and new things. It’s a sport where there’s always so much more to learn.
You're still just 27 years old. Have you hit your peak?
I still feel really young and I have a few years before I hit my peak. I don’t want to retire as long as I want to keep fighting.
I’m sorry, I gotta go back to that GSP comment. How would a fight like that even happen?
Hopefully, the organizations can work together to make it happen. Either I could go to the UFC or he could come here. I really want to see how we can make this work.
You're involved with Fairtex-Gracie in SF and Tulsa Top Team. Can you tell us a little bit about those organizations?
Well my main trainers run MMA programs at Fairtex. That’s kinda my own group over there. At Tulsa Top Team, it’s just some guys who train with me.
Let’s change gears for a second. How's your daughter doing? How has life changed for you since having a child?
My daughter is great but lots of work, so I’m always training but I’m trying to do fewer trips. She’s in first grade now, so it’s just cool to have a daughter.
That’s gotta be interesting when she tells her friends parents that her dad fights for a living.
Yeah, she knows I’m a fighter and she grew up watching it so to her, it’s nothing unusual. I’ve never brought her to a fight but she’s seen some jiu-jitsu tournaments. Eventually, she’ll realize that I don’t have a normal job, but it’s just what I do.
Any sponsors you'd like to thank or websites you’d like to plug?
JakeShields.com. I’d like to thank Fairtex, Stagger, Dominant, and… I know there’s more. Who else? I’m spacing on one (laughs)… they’ll be mad.
Anything to say to your fans?
Just thanks for all the support and keep watching me because I’m gonna do some big things.
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Flashing Blade
