Shad Lierley was born in Utah but relocated at a young age to Alaska with his parents and eight brothers and sisters. He was a four-time state wrestling finalist and was named as Alaska’s Wrestler of the Year during his senior year, earning him an invitation to continue his career at NYU. While at NYU, he became one of the premiere wrestlers in the school’s history and held the No.1 national ranking throughout his sophomore year.
After graduating, Lierley considered a wide variety of career paths, but found himself being drawn toward professional fighting. In 2006, a wrestling colleague encouraged him to try out for the IFL and he earned a spot in that organization with the Tigersharks from Seattle, coached by kick-boxing and MMA legend Maurice Smith.
“When I started college, I never planned to get involved in MMA, but it’s what I fell into and I couldn’t be happier,” he said. “There are a lot of well-educated people who have a lot of options in front of them and they choose fighting. It’s a great sport and I’m proud to be a part of it.”
Shad Lierley was a top level college wrestler while earning his bachelor’s degree in economics and political science at New York University. He is best known for his legendary 2007 fight against one-time IFL poster boy, Chris Horodecki. Despite his wrestling background (and the fact that he was fighting at 155 lbs.), Lierley stood toe-to-toe with Horodecki for three full rounds, delivering one of the most sensational and crowd pleasing fights in the IFL’s short history. It was later voted fight of the year.
“Shad Lierley has been part of some great fights. If you ever want to see an awesome highlight reel watch his fight with Chris Horodecki, which Shad took at 155 even though he’s a legit 145 fighter,” said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney.
Lierley was the seventh featherweight to be announced as a participant in the eight-man tournament along with Georgi Karakhanyan, Joe Warren, Patricio Pitbull, Bao Quach, William Romero and Wilson Reis..
Each of Bellator’s 24 Season 2 and 3 events was broadcast on FOX Sports Net, NBC and Telemundo.
As a professional, Lierley was a perfect 5-0 when fighting at 145, with his only two losses (against Horodecki and eventual IFL Featherweight Champion Wagnney Fabiano) coming at 155. His most recent win came during Bellator IX in Monroe, La.
Lierley was quoted as saying at the time, “I found out then that Bellator is just an awesome organization,” Lierley said. “They’re doing some great things in MMA and the talent they’ve been recruiting is just phenomenal. There’s going to be a lot of fireworks come springtime and I think I’m going to be a part of that. I wouldn’t have signed if I didn’t think I could win this tournament.”
Since Shad’s loss to Wilson Reis in April of 2010, he has relocated to Austin,Tx and has been under the MMA radar of late. He attributes that to his management team who he surmises is not motivated to find him viable fights in promotions.
“Ya, you know I came down here to Austin, stayed a little while and thought it was a really cool environment. I was training at Phil Cordella’s, Relson Gracie Academy with Roger Huerta,Tim Kennedy and Yves Edwards who all had fights in various organizations to train for. I can hold my own with that crew except for Tim (Kennedy), the guy is a gorilla and basically a machine when it comes to training camp."
So I’m thinking, what’s wrong with this picture? Why am I not fighting or haven’t since April of 2010? Well I came to my own conclusions and am making some adjustments. I can hang with any of the top 155 pounders out there. I put on a crowd pleasing show and I like to bang. I’m not at all afraid to drop my chin and throw. That’s what it’s about right?
I reflected on the bouts that I had seen Shad participate in and I would say in agreement, win or lose, his fights were always entertaining. I questioned him further about the current state of affairs in his career and his further thoughts about it.
I reflected on the bouts that I had seen Shad participate in and I would say in agreement, win or lose, his fights were always entertaining. I questioned him further about the current state of affairs in his career and his further thoughts about it.
“I would really like to fight internationally. I think it would be a rush and from what I hear, foreign promotions pay better. I was talking to a guy that’s been around the industry for a long time and is pretty well plugged in to the scene both domestically and internationally. I shared with him that I would really like to compete abroad and did he know of anything. He said he did but, it would more than likely be of a kick-boxing fight. I understand that those athletes are a different kind of animal. They fight for respect and the crowd. They are regarded by the performance they put on, win or lose. I’ll go over there and kick-box, put on a good show and be a crowd favorite. Roger’s (Huerta) in a Thailand now at a Muay Thai camp that I’ve been invited to. I think I’m heading over there pretty soon to prepare for whatever comes up.
Additionally, I’m young, single and don’t have any children. I’d love to travel the world experiencing different cultures and countries.
I spent an evening with Shad and and a few of his friends experiencing the night life in Austin which is as eclectic and diverse as anywhere I have ever been. We talked at length about the state of the sport both past and present.
“I have had great experiences in the sport. I’ve had some considerable but short lived success. The IFL was a great experience. I stood with Chris (Horodecki) and banged, I put it all out there and at that time he was the face of the IFL and considered the next “big thing”Bellator is a great promotion as well and I would love to get back in it. The UFC, I feel is missing out on me as an athlete that will deliver the goods. I will stand and bang with anyone, anywhere, with any promotion at any time. I’m a wrestler by nature and am more than willing to take it to the ground but I like the standing game. I work on it constantly with the best in the game past and present. I’m very marketable and know what needs to be done in the game. There are also other opportunities in the game that I’m considering as well. Promoting here in Austin is something that I’m considering. All the pieces seem to be falling into place and with the people that are looking to be involved; it has the potential and capacity to become a brand. I think the focus has to be on treatment of the athletes along with a class production package. The demographics here in central Texas are tailored for a premier MMA promotion. I’m not, by any sense of the term, through with this. ”
In the wee hours of the morning and a few too many cocktails I was left with the impression that there was something amiss here. Shad is a young man with an education, looks and skills to represent the sport in the manner that it is intended. It escaped me as to why any promotion has snatched him up. He exudes an energy and spirit that people are drawn to. When the cosmos align, Shad Lierly will be represented as a force to contend with and when that happens in a ring or a cage, I am personally confident, that it will be the last place on the planet that his opponent will want to be when it is over.I don’t’ think at this juncture that it’s a matter of if, it’s most definitely a matter of when….
Written by Brett Atchley
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