Strikeforce News: Jake Shields not renewing contract?

Jake Shields’ career under the Strikeforce banner may soon be over. His contract with Strikeforce is coming to an end, and neither Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker nor Jake Shields wanted to talk about that last night.

“I just want to take some time off, leave the country, and enjoy myself,” Shields said. “We’ll talk about that next week. My management team will talk to Strikeforce. We’ll see what happens.”

Coker added, “We talked about having a conversation next week with Jake’s management. That’s where we’re at.”

Strikeforce has a one-fight option on Jake, but UFC president Dana White has expressed an interest on multiple occassions in signing the Strikeforce champion. Shields has fought at both the welterweight (170) and middleweight (185) divisions, both of which the UFC is running out of credible challengers.

Quick Hit: So expect him to be with Dana and crew in the near future. That’s what this means. Jake has wanted to be in the UFC since he started MMA. He tried, unsuccessfully, after EliteXC folded due to Strikeforce gaining EliteXC’s contracts. And Dana has expressed many times that he wants Shields. That can only mean it’ll happen. Whether or not Strikeforce chooses to make Shields fight that last fight is the only question. I think they have no choice since he beat Dan Henderson on Saturday. But after that, Zuffa, LLC will be written across Jake’s pay checks.