Jake Shields will be returning to the middleweight division on Saturday night after starting his UFC career as a welterweight and will take on Ed Herman. 
Shields (27-6-1) has gone 2-2 since coming to the UFC and all four of those fights were in the welterweight division. After his win at UFC 144 in February, he decided it was time to move back to the middleweight division.
Prior to entering the UFC, Shields was the Strikeforce middleweight champion and was on a 14 fight winning streak. He is a submission specialist and he has ten wins by submission. His last five wins have come by decision with notable wins over Jason Miller, Dan Henderson and Martin Kampmann.
Herman (20-7) has won three straight fights since coming back from a knee injury and all three wins are by stoppage. His last two victories are by stoppage and his most recent win came at UFC 143 against Clifford Starks.
“Short Fuse” has said in the build up to this fight that a win against Shields will be a huge step in working towards a title shot.
Herman does have 12 wins by submission in his career, but we will likely stay away from that aspect of the game. Shields is known for his ground game and Herman will need to keep his fight standing to give him the best shot of winning.
He will have a three inch reach advantage over Shields and has a 52% striking accuracy in his 13 fights. He lands an average of three significant shots per minute and Shields was knocked out last year by Jake Ellenberger.
Shields has shown an improvement in his stand up game in his recent fights, but his bread and butter is to take the fight to the ground. Herman has an excellent takedown defense (70%).
If this fight is a kick boxing bout, Herman will be in good position to win the fight. However, if the fight goes to the ground, Shields will have the upper hand.