PLEASANT HILL, Calif. -- Roughly a month before a sweltering day in mid-June, Jake Shields (Pictures) had suffered a back injury. The injury was not just keeping him from collecting a purse or testing his celebrated ground game against fellow grappler Drew Fickett (Pictures). Something more troubling than the pain in his back was brewing in the frustrated fighter -- he was worried his injury would prevent him from taking EliteXC’s inaugural welterweight strap.

Months before, the Cesar Gracie (Pictures) fighter had a championship chance against Mike Pyle (Pictures). The short-lived fight was slated to be the company’s first welterweight title bout, but “Quicksand” had a quarrel with EliteXC and the fight went from five scheduled rounds to three, from title fight to just a fight.

In just under three minutes, Shields choked out the Xtreme Couture representative and made it clear that rounds didn’t matter. Even though there was no gold waiting for him upon victory, a statement had been made: Shields is going to punish anyone who stands between him and his spot at the top of mixed martial arts.

With a bad back and a game Fickett waiting, something had to be done. Shields scrambled to Beverly Hills to see chiropractor Dr. Peter Goldman. Goldman, who treats B.J. Penn (Pictures) and Kenny Florian (Pictures) regularly, has developed a reputation among fighters as a healer. If anyone could help Shields, it was Goldman.

But it was too close to fight time. Shields was forced to withdraw from the title fight with Fickett, and the gold was on hold again.

“I want that belt!” screamed Shields inside the otherwise silent Cesar Gracie (Pictures) Academy.

Music is never in heavy rotation here. Joking and other brotherhood staples are present. However, conversations are in low tones, typically fight focused. Everyone -- fresh off grappling sessions -- took time to watch Shields spar with Nick Diaz (Pictures). They took notice of Shields’ uncharacteristic yell, too. He had just received word he was fighting Nick Thompson (Pictures) for the EliteXC welterweight title.

Resting up for his next round, his proclamation had a piercing quality to it. Someone who just went that hard for that long shouldn’t have enough energy to sound so forceful. Coming back from the injury, he went four full MMA rounds after three on the mats.

Shields looks more fashion world than fighter. After exhaustive training, his hair still appeared gelled and in place. That is, if he had styled it in the first place. It is hard to picture someone who friend and training partner Gilbert Melendez (Pictures) frequently calls a “hippie” as a man who mixed it up in the streets.

“San Luis Obispo is just one of those towns,” said Shields of his street-fighting days.

Drunken college students and his head on a swivel made for more than a few altercations. Then Chuck Liddell (Pictures) introduced the wrestler to prizefighting. It had never entered his mind. He had seen Royce Gracie (Pictures), Ken Shamrock (Pictures) and all the other pioneers in passing, but the sport had moved into its dark ages where “even the big pay-per-views were tiny.”

Starting out, he fought for fun. Staying in shape and better self-defense were perks, too.

Shields first noticed the Cesar Gracie (Pictures) banner during IFC shows. Gil Castillo (Pictures), David Terrell (Pictures) and “guys that don’t fight anymore” did well. Shields liked their style. When he continued wrestling at San Francisco State University, he realized Gracie was within driving distance. He sought him out.

Shields balanced jiu-jitsu training and his wrestling regimen. Days were physically demanding and emotionally exhausting as he supported himself as a professional mover and construction worker while working toward a kinesiology degree. All for no recognition, gold or anything else that resembled a sport.

“I’ve fought in a barn, literally. We fought in tents, whatever,” he reflected. “People were just fighting ‘cause they wanted to fight. Certainly, it wasn’t the glory and fame and money that it is today.”

Back in MMA’s dark ages, a place so bleak Shields once saw an overweight woman fighting a skinny man, he had never imagined he would be fighting on network television -- on CBS, the home of Edward R. Murrow and David Letterman -- as he will be Saturday.

Even after the sport evolved and Shields picked up international recognition in the form of a Shooto championship, he remained undetected by most. A Rumble on the Rock tournament win added a second strap to his collection. However, fighting outside of Pride and the UFC left him out of serious consideration.

Despite having wins over Hayato Sakurai (Pictures), Akira Kikuchi (Pictures), and also Carlos Condit (Pictures) and Yushin Okami (Pictures) in the same night, Shields was told his competition wasn’t good enough. That he wasn’t a finisher.

As he bounced around the MMA world, EliteXC came calling.

In his first tangle in the fledgling organization, he took on former UFC title challenger Renato Verissimo (Pictures). With Shields fighting on Showtime and firmly aligned with a promotion, MMA fans were eager to see if the San Franciscan was worth the hype. Cutting through the guard of B.J. Penn (Pictures)’s jiu-jitsu coach with ease impressed. Punching “Charuto” as if there were a prize inside and seeing if his own punches could hit the century mark astonished.

The Pyle and Fickett fallouts kept Shields from emphatic follow-ups in the form of titles, though. Now Nick Thompson (Pictures) provides him with the opportunity.

“I wanted a tough fight. I wanted something legit,” affirmed Shields after Fickett’s contract was dropped from EliteXC due to a breach, axing the matchup once again.

While Shields believes “The Master” holds more name value, Thompson poses more threats: “Nick Thompson (Pictures) coming on 12 wins in a row is going to be confident in his skills. He’s a big 170-pounder. But I’m feeling confident and I’m planning on ending his winning streak.”

Shields enters the bout with his own winning streak, three years deep. Relaxation and fluidity of Brazilian jiu-jitsu added to the pressure philosophy of collegiate wrestling composes Shields’ own brand of grappling dubbed “American jiu-jitsu.” It is that style that bolsters his confidence going into the fight.

“Ultimately, I do fighting because I love it, not for the belts,” he said of his title clash. “But the belts are just a nice add-on and bonus to say, you know, you have a title here and there. And obviously it’s easier to market yourself and make more money when you’re a champ too. But ultimately, for me it’s about who I fight.”

In Thompson, Shields sees a strong submission fighter. One of the bigger fighters he’s faced, he knows “The Goat” is well conditioned and has championship experience under the Bodog banner. But Shields said dedication to training has made him a complete fighter. Progress allows him to finish people: “I’m just going to bring the pace and break him.”

Should he defeat the UFC veteran, Shields would expand his belt collection from two to three. He also recently earned a black belt from Cesar Gracie (Pictures).

Exclusive contracts and lack of cross-promotion do not deter the nearly 10-year veteran. He plans to fight the best -- whether it’s UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre (Pictures) or friend Jon Fitch (Pictures) -- one way or another.

“Nothing is ever enough for me,” he explained. “I’m never satisfied for where I’m at.”

Perhaps Shields’ desire to collect belts is a journey for physical validation in the fickle fight world. An unconventional route for a straightforward fighter draws criticism. Maybe mount and destroy is not convincing enough, blood chokes not decisive enough.

Holding prestigious championships already, the 29-year-old still has the same goals as UFC fighters or whoever else has ever stepped into the cage.

“I feel like I’m at the top of my game,” he said, on the verge of finding more gold in his possession. “I’m ready to hurt people.”