Fighter Profile - Jake Ellenberger
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- Category: UFC News
- Published on Tuesday, 30 August 2011 05:00
- Written by By Thomas Gerbasi
In just five UFC fights, Jake Ellenberger has gone from underrated and unknown veteran to welterweight contender and main eventer as he approaches his September 17th bout with Jake Shields in New Orleans, Louisiana, and he’s done it with attention-getting power, solid wrestling, and a confidence that doesn’t allow him to let up on the intensity until the fight is over and his hand is raised.
Maybe even more notable is that the Nebraskan is only 26 years old, so the best is clearly yet to come for “The Juggernaut.” But if you’re still curious about what Ellenberger (25-5) brings to the table for his showdown against one of the best 170-pounders on the planet, read on for an in-depth look at how he got here.
UFC Fight Night – September 16, 2009 – L3 Carlos Condit
It took a while, but in 2009, Jake Ellenberger finally got his call to the UFC. That opportunity came after four years on the local circuit, where he battled it out with a host of standouts, including Rick Story, Pat Healy, Jose “Pele” Landi-Jons, Jay Hieron, Gil Castillo, and Laverne Clark. With that cast of characters populating his fistic tale, many believed it was a call long overdue, but the one dissenter in that crowd was the man himself.
“I just wanted it to be the right time for me,” said Ellenberger at the time. “I wanted to make sure that when I go there, I’m going to be a contender and that I’m ready. I do feel right now that I am.”
And against former WEC champion Carlos Condit, he was going to get thrown into the fire immediately.
What He Said: “He’s got a lot of pressure on him, to be honest. He’s coming off a loss in the UFC (to Martin Kampmann), and he can’t afford to lose again. I know that’s gonna be in the back of his mind and he’s definitely gonna be ready to fight. He’s gonna come out hard and not let up for 15 minutes. I’m gonna be explosive, and I’ll definitely show my skills. Not taking anything away from Carlos, but I’ve fought guys just as tough and skilled as he is, and I’m very confident in finishing him. Granted, people don’t really know me because I haven’t fought in the UFC yet, but this is gonna put me on the map if I finish him.”
What We Said: Rising welterweight star Carlos Condit saw stars for much of the first round against Octagon debutant Jake Ellenberger, but the Albuquerque native weathered the early storm and got stronger as the fight progressed, eventually eking out a hard-fought and entertaining split decision win over Ellenberger.
Scores were 29-28 twice, and 28-29 for Condit.
The pace was fast from the opening bell, with Ellenberger catching Condit with a right hand that sent him to the mat. Condit recovered quickly, but then had to deal with Ellenberger’s attack from the top position. No problem for Condit, who soon made it back to his feet. Again Ellenberger struck gold with his right hand, seemingly hurting Condit worse the second time around. But the former WEC welterweight champ showed resilience a second time, landing with some knees before Ellenberger attacked with a guillotine choke attempt. If Condit was a cat, he would have already been down three lives, but he kept battling and made it out of the round.
“I saw stars for a second and I knew I needed to come back,” said Condit of his rough opening round.
Having had success on the feet in round one, Ellenberger tried his luck on the mat, and the two battled it out on even terms on the ground, with Condit working for submissions that kept Ellenberger guessing. With less than two minutes left, he reversed position and got into the mount, pounding away until Ellenberger was able to get some daylight. With under a minute left, Ellenberger now moved to the top spot, and the two active welters ended the round on their feet, surely earning a 60 second break.
Ellenberger opened the final round with a nice throw to the mat, but Condit was far from idle while...
