The past year hasn't been fairly kind to Jake Shields.

Debuting in the UFC with a lot of promise, Shields has gone 1-2 thus far in his tenure with the company and could find himself out of title contention fairly soon.

Shields is one of the most accomplished grapplers in the UFC, holding a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under the tutelage of Cesar Gracie. 

Shields will enter UFC 144 looking to rebound with a win over Yoshihiro Akiyama to reaffirm his stance in the welterweight division. 

The former Strikeforce middleweight champion isn't likely to get much sympathy from UFC management should he receive a third straight loss at the hands of Akiyama, as Shields is still considered to be a formidable challenge in the welterweight division.

If he is unable to record a victory this weekend, Shields could find himself moved out of the top 10 of the division, but more importantly, he could be released from the company. Traditionally, the UFC releases fighters who drop three fights in a row.

Shields could also lend his talents to the middleweight division if he is unsuccessful in his bout with Akiyama, as he competed at 185 lbs. in previous organizations.

Regardless of the outcome this weekend, Shields' future will be determined against Akiyama at UFC 144.