UFC
UFC NEWS: Dana White says Jake Shields likely to get title shot if he beats Martin Kampmann at UFC 121
Oct 12, 2010 - 2:34:32 PM UFC NEWS: Dana White says Jake Shields likely to get title shot if he beats Martin Kampmann at UFC 121

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

When the UFC signed Jake Shields earlier this year, popular opinion was that the former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion and EliteXC Welterweight Champion would only need to win one fight before getting a title shot in the UFC. Today, UFC President Dana White stated that would likely be the case.

At a press conference in Montreal to hype December's UFC 124, White commented on Shields' fight with Martin Kampmann at next week's UFC 121 event.

"If Jake Shields should win against Martin Kampmann, it will probably be him next," White said.

One man who may have some contention with that statement is Jon Fitch. Fitch defeated Thiago Alves at UFC 117 in August in what White called a "#1 contender fight." But Fitch may not get that second crack at GSP, or have to face the prospect of fighting his teammate Josh Koscheck, if the UFC goes this route.

For his part, Fitch has stated he wants the winner of the Shields-Kampmann fight himself to determine the #1 contender. But for now, if Shields can get past a very tough debut test against Martin Kampmann, it looks like it will be him in line for the shot.

Penick's Analysis: It sucks for Fitch, but that's how it looked to play out with the timing of the Shields-Kampmann fight and the Koscheck-GSP fight being just a month and a half apart. They could still do a Shields-Fitch fight in January or February if the GSP-Koscheck winner is going to be out for an extended period of time, but I can see why the UFC would give Shields the fight over Fitch when Fitch was beaten up for five rounds the first time he fought GSP.