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http://www.tapology.com/2009/11/jake...worlds-finest/
Tapology: I know you get the UFC question all of the time, so I’m not going to ask it, but you mentioned that it is important to you to fight the best people you can fight. Georges St. Pierre is considered the best welterweight in the world right now, so is it important to you to get a fight with him within the next couple of years, whether it be in Strikeforce or the UFC?
Shields: It is important. I feel like I have to fight him unless someone beats him. To be the best, you have to fight the best, and GSP is for sure considered to be the best. It would be awesome if we could get that together in a co-promotion, and the way Strikeforce is going, who knows, it could happen.
Tapology: You are happy fighting for Strikeforce right now, but at what point does the importance of fighting a guy like St. Pierre weight heavily enough that you would consider jumping ship in order to make that happen?
Shields: The bottom line is that the UFC is not going to let you jump ship after one fight, so it’s not a realistic option. At some point you have to look and weigh your options between money and fighting the best. Hopefully it will happen, but at this point I just have to concentrate on my Strikeforce contract and after that I will sit down with my managers and we’ll figure out what I want to do.
Tapology: GSP mentioned you specifically as someone he would be interested in fighting at a recent Q&A session before UFC 105. How does it make you feel to be directly addressed by him in that manner?
Shields: He mentioned that it was his dream fight, you know. He mentioned Brock Lesnar vs. Fedor and him against me, which is awesome because it shows me that in his mind I’m the best guy he hasn’t faced. I have wanted that fight for a while, but it’s nice for him to say that he wants it as well.
Tapology: It might be a long ways off if it ever does happen, but how do you see yourself matching up with him?
Shields: I think it is a really interesting fight. Who knows what will happen. I think I have an edge in Jiu-Jitsu, he might have the edge in striking, but let’s get out there and see what happens.
Shields: It is important. I feel like I have to fight him unless someone beats him. To be the best, you have to fight the best, and GSP is for sure considered to be the best. It would be awesome if we could get that together in a co-promotion, and the way Strikeforce is going, who knows, it could happen.
Tapology: You are happy fighting for Strikeforce right now, but at what point does the importance of fighting a guy like St. Pierre weight heavily enough that you would consider jumping ship in order to make that happen?
Shields: The bottom line is that the UFC is not going to let you jump ship after one fight, so it’s not a realistic option. At some point you have to look and weigh your options between money and fighting the best. Hopefully it will happen, but at this point I just have to concentrate on my Strikeforce contract and after that I will sit down with my managers and we’ll figure out what I want to do.
Tapology: GSP mentioned you specifically as someone he would be interested in fighting at a recent Q&A session before UFC 105. How does it make you feel to be directly addressed by him in that manner?
Shields: He mentioned that it was his dream fight, you know. He mentioned Brock Lesnar vs. Fedor and him against me, which is awesome because it shows me that in his mind I’m the best guy he hasn’t faced. I have wanted that fight for a while, but it’s nice for him to say that he wants it as well.
Tapology: It might be a long ways off if it ever does happen, but how do you see yourself matching up with him?
Shields: I think it is a really interesting fight. Who knows what will happen. I think I have an edge in Jiu-Jitsu, he might have the edge in striking, but let’s get out there and see what happens.
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