Jake Shields (Pictures) will get his shot at an EliteXC championship on March 29, when the Californian fights Drew Fickett (Pictures) in San Jose, Calif., for the promotion's uncrowned welterweight title.

Shields, regarded as the top 170-pound fighter not signed to a UFC contract, confirmed the title fight with Sherdog.com on Monday. Having won nine fights in a row, Shields (20-4-1) has risen to eighth in the Sherdog.com welterweight rankings.

Though Fickett is unranked, the 28-year-old fighter from Tucson, Ariz., carries an impressive 31-5 record, including a respectable 4-3 tally inside the Octagon. Fickett won each of his three fights in 2007, while Shields, 29, bested him by one.

The five-round 170-pound title fight takes place on a co-promoted card between Strikeforce and EliteXC. The main event of the Showtime-televised card features a local showdown that should interest fans outside of Silicon Valley when Frank Shamrock (Pictures) fights Cung Le (Pictures) in a middleweight title. Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez (Pictures) is also expected to compete