If you guys haven't already seen it, The promo video for UFC 129's main event with Jake Shields and George St. Pierre is already out. It can be found on Youtube as well as numerous other video sharing sites.
Its got the look and feel of a classic UFC promo that most of us have seen : Great Music (Fort Minor's "Remember the Name"), Joe Rogan's nonsensical banter regarding what he sees in the underdog (In this case Shields) and the ever present "Sold Out" banner across the top of the page at the end of the commercial.
In the promo, We see Jake Shields sitting around his trophy wall, with Jiu-Jitsu medals galore and various newspaper clippings proclaiming his various wins over notable fighters such as Dan Henderson, Robbie Lawler and Carlos Condit. Shields is sitting in there with a clipping coming from his latest win against Martin Kampmann. We see Shields train, get up from his spot in the crowd from another GSP win to walk to the back and past St. Pierre with numerous reporters and his entourage to the exit.
Yet, there's something definitely eerie about it. And it just might be the first 10-15 seconds of the clip : The welterweight titles Shields won in the now defunct promotions EliteXC and Rumble On The Rock.
We all know that EliteXC was run by ProElite Inc., a company now known far and wide for its corrupt policies, alleged match fixing and banking their future on a street fighting phenom (Kimbo Slice). With Shields being billed as a "5 time World Champion", and with UFC now owning Strikeforce (after out bidding the aforementioned ProElite), is this mere coincidence, or is this a ploy by Zuffa brass to actively promote their product, while writing off the credentials of Shields in former organizations as merely nothing?
The UFC owns Strikeforce. If they wanted to truly promote Shields as a contender to the title, why not post the 2 Strikeforce belts he owned during his time in that organization instead? It would give a guy who's being "looked past" by most people more credibility. It would also not look so tasteless, as to say "We're the UFC. We're #1. Who gives a fuck what you've done in the past because you didn't do it here!".
Either way, I sure hope St. Pierre didn't take these commercials to heart as he's got a long road ahead of him come April 29th. Shields is not a slouch (15 consecutive wins is 15 wins regardless of organization), and given his BJJ background might have a surprise or 2 for the Canadian.
Until next time, Fight Fans.
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