10 Questions With Jake Shields (by Darrick Patrick)
Jake Shields is a professional mixed martial artist who has competed in organizations such as EliteXC, Bodog Fight, International Fighting Championship, K-1, Full Contact Promotions, Rumble On The Rock, Kage Kombat, Shooto, Pancrase, Warriors Quest, Gladiator Challenge, Best Of The Best, and Cobra Fighting Federation. At the time of this interview, he holds the belt as the EliteXC Welterweight Champion after a victory which took place on July 26th, 2008 against Nick Thompson. His next scheduled match may possibly be a title defense against John Alessio, but this is not yet confirmed.
Darrick: What was the road that led you to competing professionally in mixed martial arts?
Jake: I started wrestling when I was a kid. I met Chuck Liddell after my second year of wrestling at college in San Luis Obispo. I joined his club to learn some submissions, self defense, and to have fun. I fought five fights in the first nine months just for the experience - then I decided to get serious. I got a scholarship to San Francisco State, so I moved to San Francisco and then started training with Cesar Gracie.
Darrick: You just found out that you might be defending your title against John Alessio. What are your thoughts about this match?
Jake: I'm excited to be back at it. I trained all year without getting to fight until July, so I'm ready. I think John will be a good fight, he has good all-around skills and he always brings it. I'm sure he'll be ready.
Darrick: Who are some of the people that greatly influenced you while growing up?
Jake: My family, some of my friends, and my wrestling coaches.
Darrick: Any words of advice for other individuals looking to train in MMA?
Jake: Find a good team and take it very seriously. You need to make a commitment to do the training and to push yourself to your limit every day. You have to be willing to make sacrifices.
Darrick: Generally speaking, what does a typical training session for you consist of?
Jake: I train twice a day with two different sessions. Sometimes MMA, sometimes grappling/Jiu-Jitsu, boxing/kickboxing, and I end it with hard cardio.
Darrick: What personally brings you the most fulfillment out of martial arts?
Jake: The commitment to accomplish my goals, the chance to try myself against the best, and the friends I've made.
Darrick: Who are a few of the people in the sport that you highly respect?
Jake: There's too many, but some that come to mind are Chuck Liddell, Minotauro, Fedor, and GSP. My training partners Gil Melendez, Nick Diaz, and Nate Diaz because they're professionals, train hard, and always bring it during a fight - and outside of the ring, they keep it real. Then there's the Gracie family, because they brought the focus to the sport.
Darrick: What moments in your life have you been proudest of so far?
Jake: The things in my private life, my daughter, etc. In MMA, I guess it was winning the Rumble on the Rock Tournament. In the finals, I fought two top ten fighters in the same night - Yushin Okami and Carlos Condit.
Darrick: Outside of MMA, what are your other interests?
Jake: MMA pretty much consumes most of my time, but I like to be with my daughter and I like outdoor stuff. Mountain biking, hiking, partying with my friends, etc. - between fights I like to travel when I can.
Darrick: What is your oldest memory?
Jake: I can't think of which memory is oldest, but my first memories are of running around the mountains with my brothers, building tree forts, swimming in the pond, playing, and having a good time.
FOR OTHER EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS BY DARRICK PATRICK:
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=4974388&blogID=343519835
You can also check out Jake Shields in the following places:
Official Jake Shields Website:
http://www.jakeshields.com
Official Jake Shields MySpace Profile:
http://www.myspace.com/jakeshieldsajj
Official Jake Shields ProElite.com Site:
http://jakeshields.proelite.com
Jake Shields on Fight Finder:
http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Jake-Shields-502
Jake Shields Photo Gallery at Sherdog.com:
http://www.sherdog.com/pictures/gallery/fighter/502/
