Consensus top-5 welterweight Jake Shields is arguably the best fighter this side of Fedor Emelianenko currently competing outside of the UFC. The brilliant "American" jiu-jitsu fighter is considered among the very best welterweights in the world, but has had trouble finding quality opponents outside of the UFC at the weight. Beside his good friend and teammate Nick Diaz, and "Mach" Sakurai, who Shields has already defeated, every other top 10 welterweight currently competes in the UFC.

This has lead the talented Shields to seek challenges elsewhere. To that end, Shields moved up in weight to face top-5 middleweight Robbie Lawler at Strikeforce: "Lawler vs. Shields". Shields took the fight easily, deftly applying a guillotine choke that finished Lawler in the very first round.

Not content to rest on that victory, FiveKnuckles.com can confirm, through sources close to the fighter, that he has agreed to face Matt Lindland at Strikeforce: "Carano vs. Santos" on Aug. 15. Lindland (21-6) is currently contemplating the match up, and if he takes the fight, bout agreements will be dispersed shortly.

If Lindland declines, however, sources close to Shields, who couldn't reveal a name, say an even bigger match up is waiting in the wings.