3. Jake Shields
Record: 26-5-1
Promotion: UFC
Age: 32 years old
Reason:
Diaz’s Gracie Jiu-Jitsu training partner, Jake Shields, checks in again as the No. 3 welterweight in MMA. His loss to Georges St-Pierre was disappointing, but not enough to knock him out of the elite fighter in this weight class.
Shields has victories over countless top fighters on his way to this ranking, but like so many who have come before him, he was just unable to do much against the seemingly unstoppable GSP.
What may be most impressive about Shields is actually his weight versatility. He has been hugely successful both as a welterweight and as a middleweight.
In fact, if Nick Diaz is able to defeat St-Pierre later this year, look for Shields to move back to middleweight to avoid having to fight his friend.