Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight title contender, Jake Shields, has found a new home in mixed martial arts (MMA).
Jeremy Botter reported earlier today (April 17, 2014) that World Series of Fighting (WSOF) signed the welterweight stand out to a multi-fight a couple weeks after he was released from his UFC contract following a unanimous decision loss to Hector Lombard at UFC 171 on March 15, 2014.
The Las Vegas, Nevada - based promotion confirmed the signing via Twitter:
WSOF has signed Jake Shields @jakeshieldsajj one of the top Welterweights in the world! We will announce Jakes debut soon!
— WSOF (@MMAWorldSeries) April 17, 2014
The MMA world was caught off guard by the release of Shields, seeing as how his loss to Lombard was his first since 2011. A loss that snapped his three fight win streak.
UFC president Dana White explained his reasoning behind the move by saying Shields was "just another guy on the downswing."
While exact details have yet to be revealed regarding the deal, the submission wizard is expected to make his debut for the promotion in July.
Shields now joins a WSOF welterweight division which has quickly added some much-needed depth with the additions of Jon Fitch and Rousimar Palhares, another pair of UFC castaways.
In fact, Palhares earned the division title in his first fight with the promotion by submitting Steve Carl at WSOF 9 last month.
During his time with UFC, Shields went 4-3-1 and lost his first and only title fight against Georges St-Pierre at UFC 129 back in 2011.
Anyone expect big things from Shields against the best WSOF has to offer?