That's the word according to MMAWeekly:
Although everything appeared set for a bout between No. 4 ranked welterweight Jake Shields to return to the cage at Strikeforce's April 11 Showtime debut against UFC veteran Joe Riggs, that bout is now off. Strikeforce executive Mike Afromowitz confirmed the change on Thursday to MMAWeekly.com.
The change was first reported by FiveOuncesOfPain.com, indicating that Shields might instead face middleweight fighter Robbie Lawler.
MMAWeekly.com later confirmed with sources close to the bout that current Strikeforce plans are to pit Shields versus Lawler – the No. 2 ranked middleweight fighter in the world – in the main event of a Strikeforce event in May in the Seattle area.
The bout was then confirmed at a Strikeforce press conference on Thursday in Hollywood, Calif. Although Lawler started his career in the welterweight class, the bout will be contested in the middleweight division. It will not be a title fight. Cung Le is the current Strikeforce middleweight champion.
Jake Shields moving up in weight to fight Lawler sure sounds good doesn't it? However, considering the problems that Shields had with Paul Daley at 170, this could not bode well for him. Lawler hits like a mack truck, and I don't see Shields being able to get this fight to the ground unless he pulls guard or something. He sure doesn't want to stand with Lawler I know that much. Am I way off in thinking this? Give me your thoughts.
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