JAKE SHIELDS TOPS NBC SPORTS MMA CARD
Jake Sheilds
Los Angeles, CA– The Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, NV will host WSOF17 which begins the year for the World Series of Fighting promotional company. Welterweight (170 lbs.) Jake Shields (30-7-1, 1 NC) will face fellow UFC alum Brian Foster (22-6). Shields had a 4-3 record with 1 no contest in the UFC, while Foster went 3-2. Despite the large (in comparison to other fighters on the roster) paychecks Shields received for his fights with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, he was not known to be a particularly exciting fighter. He should be victorious o Saturday, however, as he has faced a higher level of competition than Foster and has generally won.
SHIELDS A DRUG CHEAT?
It should be noted that Shields was suspended for six months after testing positive for an unnamed banned substance following UFC 150 back in 2012 and had his bout with Ed Herman (22-10, 1 NC) officially declared a “no contest.” Shields apologized for testing positive for a substance banned by the Colorado Boxing Commission, but the identity of the substance was never revealed. He has tested negative in the 4 fights since, but the positive test is still worth mentioning. If it were a substance like marijuana or another harmless substance in regards to competition, it seems Shields would be more forthright with that information. As it stands, we cannot convict without sufficient evidence, but something smells fishy with Shields.
LIGHTWEIGHTS (155) IN CO-MAIN
Brian Cobb (20-8) will face Jonathan Nunez (5-0) in the bout preceding the main event of the evening. Nunez looks better on paper and should make some waves versus a a veteran fighter. Two undefeated middleweights (185), Bulgarian Krasimir Mladenov (11-0) and Canadian Brendan Kornberger (5-0) will square off in a match that favors Mladenov.
BANTAMWEIGHTS (135) TO OPEN NBC CARD
The card begins at 9PM/6PM ETPT on the NBC Sports Network with bantamweight Bryson Hansen (7-2)
meeting Rudy Morales (3-1) in what is Morales’ World Series debut. This is more of a pick ’em fight than others on the card, but I like the seasoning of Hansen to carry the day.
PRELIMS
MIDDLEWEIGHTS:
Adam Cella (6-2) vs Danny Davis, Jr. (10-8-1)
WELTERWEIGHTS:
Gil Guardado (3-1) vs Sinjen Smith (2-0)
LIGHTWEIGHTS:
Jimmy Spicuzza (5-2) vs Joe Condon (11-7)
FEATHERWEIGHTS (145):
Soslan Abanokov (4-3) vs Jordan Rinaldi (8-4)
FLYWEIGHTS (125):
Taylor McCorriston (8-6) vs Donovan Frelow (2-0)
MIDDLEWEIGHTS:
Jamie Point (1-0) vs Trey Williams (0-0)