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[Sakara=Excitement]

Post-Event Brawl Mars Jake Shields' Victory Celebration -- MMA Fighting

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- On the outside of Bridgestone Arena is a huge banner that celebrates the city's hockey team, the Predators. It has a collage of players, and underneath, a slogan in huge block letters, reading, "Welcome to Smashville."

If Jason "Mayhem" Miller had noticed the warning, perhaps what transpired at the conclusion of Saturday's Strikeforce: Nashville show would not have happened.

Miller, who was a late addition to the card most for his name recognition, set in motion a chain of events that led to a wild brawl just after the conclusion of Jake Shields successful middleweight title defense against Dan Henderson.

As Shields was about to begin his post-fight interview with CBS announcer Gus Johnson, Miller somehow found his way into the cage, interrupting Shields' moment in the sun, possibly to challenge Shields for a rematch of their Nov. 2009 bout. The two exchanged a quick word before Shields shoved Miller backward and all hell broke loose.

Shields' corner was in the cage after celebrating with him, and they went after Miller, who was badly outnumbered in the melee. Order was restored after about one minute, and Miller emerged from the cage laughing, but could be seen walking to the back with a bloody ear.

Afterwards, there were plenty of apologies for the unsportsmanlike outburst which stole some of the spotlight from the championship tripleheader.

"I'd just like to say, there's no room in Strikeforce for that type of behavior," Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said. "If you're fighting here at the highest level, you're fighting on CBS, you're fighting on Showtime, you're fighting for Strikeforce or any other MMA organization, there's no room for that type of behavior. Please take into account this is not something that happens in this sport."

Coker was not in the arena to see the brawl, having made his way to the backstage area to prepare for the post-fight press conference. He said he would take time to review the tape and reserved the right to discipline any Strikeforce fighters involved.
Aside from Miller and Shields, Strikeforce lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez and welterweight champ Nick Diaz were also involved, along with his brother Nate, who fights in the UFC. (Shields, Melendez and the Diaz brothers are members of the Cesar Gracie fight team.)

Shown a picture of the chaotic scene after the press conference, Coker looked at Miller, surrounded by the Cesar Gracie fight team, with Nick Diaz cocking his fist and about to hit Miller, and shook his head.

"That looks really aggressive," he said.

The general consensus seemed to be that Miller was at fault for barging in on Shields' moment and invited the trouble, though he did not appear to be the one to throw the first punch.

Shields said he was very angry at Miller "getting into [his] face" and stealing his spotlight.

"I expect him to be disrespectful," he said. "Isn't he always disrespectful?"

Melendez, though, said he had nothing against Miller before tonight, but said the Cesar Gracie team members are so close that they protect each other like brothers, and that protective instinct kicked in when things got physical.

"It's disappointing, that's not what we're really about," Gilbert Melendez told MMA Fighting. "I feel really bad about the whole thing. It's Jake's moment. I'm sad about how it went down, and about Mayhem jumping in there. It was about my boy, Jake. We wanted him to have the spotlight that he earned."

Afterward, Melendez went up to a CBS executive and apologized for the mayhem.

Now the question is whether there's any backlash from CBS for what happened. All major sports have temper flare-ups and even brawls from time to time, but MMA is still in its infancy, and has less room for error.

"I'm over it," Shields said later. "It's not that big of a deal. I guess Mayhem wants a rematch, but he's got to beat a real opponent. No disrespect to the guy he beat, but that's not an opponent worthy of a rematch. I beat Dan Henderson tonight. Who'd he beat?"

[drake_411]

thanks for postin.

[MickeyKnox]

....agh, i hate Jake.

" i beat Dan Henderson, who'd he beat blah blah blah..."

At least Mayhem finished his opponent in the first round.

[The Sensational One]

Melendez, Nick, Nate, and Jake are pieces of shit. I can't stand it when a group of guys jump one guy, it just shows how tough they really are. To Jake, yeah you beat Dan, but Miller had you choked out if it wasn't for the bell so don't start acting all high and mighty.

[The Return Of......]

how in the hell can coker say its millers fault??????? is this guy just mental???? miller was in the cage cuz strikeforce wanted him in the cage.

and jakes does realize, that had it been any other ref besides big john and the fight would of been over with that first punch. shields was pretty much out and came to when his head hit the floor

[KillahKimbo]

Somebody got a Bully Beatdown.

[jonbyarmbar]

Big surprise that everyone's trying to cover their ass. There's no sincerity in Melendez's apology. He's just worried about the possible repercussions. The guy's ridiculous. He directly contradicts himself. First he says that they're like brothers and they protect each other, and then this: "It's disappointing, that's not what we're really about," Gilbert Melendez told MMA Fighting. Sounds to me like you just said that's exactly what you're about. Total B.S.

And of course it isn't a matter of protecting Jake. It's not like Mayhem was in ANY way threatening.

That picture tells the whole story.

"I'm over it," Shields said later.

Of course you're over it. You aren't the one that was jumped.

So, my question is do you think there will be some any kind of penalty or fine for the fighters involved? (I see this is being covered in another thread. My bad!)

I'm interested in Dana's reaction seeing as Nate was involved. Dana doesn't take kindly to this kind of shit...

Should be interesting.

[MickeyKnox]

Originally Posted by The Sensational One

Melendez, Nick, Nate, and Jake are pieces of shit. I can't stand it when a group of guys jump one guy, it just shows how tough they really are. To Jake, yeah you beat Dan, but Miller had you choked out if it wasn't for the bell so don't start acting all high and mighty.

RIGHT.

I will never forget how Mayhem had that RNC locked deep on Shields at the end of the 3rd round, had it not been for 10 seconds, MAYHEM would have had the gold. At least you know he had it finished. Jake couldnt sub him for his life.

Ill be looking forward to loving it when all 4 of those guys lose.

[Sniggles]

What does Sandy have to say about this? Bahahaha.

[JadedX]

"I'd just like to say, there's no room in Strikeforce for that type of behavior," Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said. "If you're fighting here at the highest level, you're fighting on CBS, you're fighting on Showtime, you're fighting for Strikeforce or any other MMA organization, there's no room for that type of behavior. Please take into account this is not something that happens in this sport."

I actually like Scott Coker, but does he actually watch the show and other MMA Org's shows? I take it he doesn't know that wasn't the first time a post-fight brawl had occured. I can think of a few, but just to keep things close to home, I recall the Diaz boys had a similar altercation back in Hawaii with former EXC Lightweight Champion KJ Noons. That event aired on Showtime. And I only recall this because well, I was there. Anyway, I think that some kind of disciplinary action should take place on ALL the fighters involved regardless of who threw the first punch, etc etc. An example must be enforced just to keep the sport from being looked at as barbaric even more than it already have been. That shit was shown on National TV, not Cable TV, ass clowns.