"I'm always kind of stuck in the middle, it's either a big cut or I'm small at the weight, I was constantly trying to keep my weight up, I was eating all the time and lifting all the time. I never really got over 195 pounds and even then all the 170-pounders are bigger than that. Basically I got a new diet, a cleaner diet, I've got my weight back down into the high 180's. I made some changes, my weight came down, my cardio feels better, I feel a lot cleaner with more energy. I'd like to fight someone tough. I'd like to fight Jake Ellenberger. That's the one loss that I felt I'd really like the chance to repeat myself on, so I'd like that. I just want to fight one of those top guys, to show that I can still beat those guys and get back into title contention. Carlos Condit would make a lot of sense. He's really good or (Rory) MacDonald, he's good. Just any of these guys that are good. I'm willing to fight whoever they put me against." - Jake Shields via Bleacher Report

Former Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields announces his return to the welterweight division after just one fight at middleweight.

Shields (27-6-1) made his middleweight debut against Ed Herman at UFC 150, where he earned a unanimous decision victory.

Following the event, the Colorado State Athletic Commission revealed that Shields tested positive for banned substances and the victory was changed to a no contest.

The former middleweight champion made his highly anticipated UFC debut in 2010 against Martin Kampmann at UFC 121, earning a split-decision victory.

As a welterweight in the UFC, Shields is 2-2 with losses to the UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre and Jake Ellenberger.

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