Former MMA fighter Jake Shields went on Twitter to take unconscionable shots at George Floyd on the third anniversary of his death. Shields has evolved into one of this generation’s sports leaders of alternative facts, and he took a moment to spoil the mourning the country was experiencing collectively to disrespect Floyd’s memory.
“Congratulations George Floyd on hitting three years of sobriety,” Shields tweeted to the uproar of many of the over two million people who saw the post. Shields doubled down and threw another tweet barb at Floyd’s name.
However, just as many agreed with Shields’ statement exposing the polarization surrounding Floyd’s death.
“Also congratulations to George Floyd making 3 years with out robbing any pregnant women,” Shields tweeted before responding to some commenters who disagreed with his opinion.
The ex-fighter and his followers feign ignorance when people are offended at his tweets instead masquerading it as satirical humor taken not as intended.
Shields is a former MMA champion for the now-defunct Bay Area MMA promotion Strikeforce. He is a relative unknown for casual fans of the sport and is affiliated with MMA bad boys Nick and Nate Diaz along with Gilbert Melendez, who are collectively known as the Scrap Pack. Where the Diaz brothers focus on cannabis advocacy, Shields is a geyser erupting with hate speech and providing a voice for white men who feel culturally encroached.
Jackson vs. Shields
Last December, Shields got into an altercation with current UFC fighter Mike Jackson, who called him a “Nazi” for his explosive Twitter views. The incident was caught on video and showcased the dark underbelly of the mixed martial arts industry, where race and culture have always been at odds.
Jackson is an attorney who also happens to be a professional fighter. He has a tattoo that says Black Power on his chest and has fashioned himself a crusader against what he deems as “white nationalists,” hiding in plain sight within the MMA business. His very visual confrontations on Twitter agitated those that he considers their “white fragility.”
Jackson explained the beef between him and Shields after the two ran into each other in real life at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas where Shields attacked him.
Jackson’s Perspective
“(The UFC staff was) like, ‘He’s banned,” Jackson said to MMA Junkie. “Jake Shields is banned. He can never come back here, so what you wanna do? He can’t come back to the PI. Do you want to leave it at that or press charges?'” Jackson continued. “All of this is assault. Apparently the dude is running around saying I punched him or I threw a punch or something. None of that’s true. Here’s why I know it’s true: I didn’t throw a punch at the guy, and all of this is on video.
“You can’t go around doing thuggish sh*t and expect there to be no consequences,” Jackson continued. “Jake Shields has to understand there are consequences for your white nationalism action, my guy. And you are going to suffer that. You can be upset, but you have no one to blame other than yourself.”
Jake Shields has crossed a line based on Black stereotypes, poverty judgment, and more, all in the name of agitation.