Hey everybody. Long-time reader, first time FanPost.

I'm sure that by now, everyone has heard the open secret that Jake Shields has signed with the UFC. Something just occurred to me that I don't think that I've seen discussed yet. From a purely practical perspective, how does the UFC promote Jake Shields in PPV ads and countdown specials? They won't have the rights to any of his Elite XC/Strikeforce footage.

The last 4 organzations that Shields fought for were Strikeforce. Elite XC, K-1 Dynamite and Bodog fight. The UFC has used footage from other companies before, most notably Affliction (Daley, Rothwell, Belfort) and PRIDE (you name it). However, I just can't see any of Shields' previous employers allowing their biggest competitor to highlight their latest signing.  Unless Shields retains the rights to his own footage from any of these promotions, Is the UFC just going to show him shadowboxing in the rain for 20 minutes in the countdown special? What do they show in place of highlight clips (not that Shields has an huge library of KO finishes to choose from anyway)? Sparring sessions?

It also makes me wonder whether the UFC will reference any of his former employers by name.  We all know how much the UFC hates even acknowledging that it has any competitors. Or does referencing Shields' promotional past just confirm Dana White's standard response that his organization is where all the best fighters want to be?

We haven't really seen a top-ranked fighter come to the UFC from EXC/Strikeforce before. Usually it goes the other way, but Strikeforce's marketing and promotional machine lacks the size, budget and influence of the UFC's, As a result, ex-UFC fighters who join SF aren't really highlighted anyway.

So my question to all of you out there is two-fold:

First of all, how do YOU think that the UFC will/should promote Shields, practically speaking?

Secondly, do you think that the difficulty of obtaining Shields' previous fight footage (combined with his grappling-heavy style) will result in Jake Shields not getting the promotional push that he deserves from the UFC?

As I said, first FP, so thanks for reading if you made it this far...