The UFC’s welterweight division is a talent-rich collective where the battle to claim elite-level status never slows. Once a position in the divisional upper-tier at 170 is solidified, a fighter moves within striking distance of a potential championship opportunity. Yet, with a shark tank of talent in the welterweight depths, fortunes can change in an instant, and a fighter can go from contention to fighting for relevancy in quick fashion.
Jake Ellenberger is no stranger to the ever-changing tides that come with competing in what is arguably the deepest division under the UFC banner.
Over the past five years “The Juggernaut” has been slinging leather under the bright lights of the biggest stage in mixed martial arts. Throughout this stretch, the 29-year-old Nebraskan has squared off with a collection of the world’s best at 170 pounds, and carved out his place in the elite tier of the welterweight division in the process. Ellenberger found success in six of his first seven showings inside the Octagon, with his only setback coming via split decision in a hard-fought scrap with former WEC welterweight champion Carlos Condit in the Omaha native’s official debut.
A six-fight winning streak would serve to add his name to a list of potential title contenders, and the heavy-handed Team Reign representative seemed to be within striking distance of a title shot when he stepped in against Martin Kampmann at The Ultimate Fighter 15 Finale in June of 2012. Unfortunately for Ellenberger, the Danish striker would rebound from a drubbing in the opening frame to earn the victory via stoppage in the second round.
While his setback against “The Hitman” would serve to stunt his momentum, wins in his next two showings would once again spark talk of a potential title shot in his future. That said, the Southern California transplant would be turned back by Rory MacDonald in his next bout, then go on to suffer two more losses as he came out on the business end of things in fights with Robbie Lawler and Kelvin Gastelum respectively.
Nevertheless, despite being in the midst of the roughest patch in his career, Ellenberger‘s drive and determination to succeed have never waned. Being raised in the Midwest instilled the former Marine’s blue-collar work ethic and his belief that continuous mental and physical investment will yield the desired results.
He will get the opportunity to get things back on track when he faces former title challenger Josh Koscheck at UFC 184 on Feb. 28 in Los Angeles, in a bout where both men are in jeopardy of being pushed out of the upper echelon of the welterweight ranks. And while he was admittedly curious when the bout against “Kos” was offered up, Ellenberger is fully confident he’ll emerge victorious at UFC 184.
“I was surprised when I got the call to fight [Josh] Koscheck,” Ellenberger told Bleacher Report. “I didn’t know he was still fighting. I thought he had put in his resigning papers, but I guess that’s not the case.
“I’m stoked about the matchup and I’m excited for the fight. I’ve had to make a lot of adjustments in my camp, and that is what this sport is really all about. You have to evolve and make adjustments and I’ve really had to dissect a lot of things about myself. I had to take a good look inside because it’s not specifically the battle with your opponent but the battle within yourself.”
In addition to his bout with the Fresno-based veteran being an opportunity for Ellenberger to get things back on track in his fighting career, UFC 184 will also bring him to the next step in his personal evolution. Where a fighter’s success is typically measured in wins and losses, the process of progress is what ultimately provides fuel to his motivational fires.
Instead of focusing all of his time and energy into expanding his athletic skill set, Ellenberger also works on the psychological side of things as well.
“I’m always looking to push myself and grow as an athlete,” Ellenberger said. “I’m always looking to move forward and up because those are the only directions to travel. It’s all about evolving both mentally and physically. This fight comes at a perfect time for me. I’m in great shape physically. I’m focused and I’m in the best psychological state I’ve been in quite some time. There are a few things I can contribute that to, but everything inside and outside of the cage is rolling.”
While Ellenberger is eager to break out of his rough patch and take a big step forward, the organizational banner he competes under recently set about some changes of their own. On Tuesday afternoon, the UFC held a press conference where CEO Lorenzo Fertitta and UFC President Dana White and Lawrence Epstein outlined some major changes to the promotion’s drug testing policies, especially in regard to performance-enhancing drugs.
The UFC has vowed to ramp up their efforts to test fighters both in and out of competition and the new policy overhauls will go into effect on July 1. Ellenberger was excited to hear that changes, but said PED usage is a complex issue that will be difficult to police on a global scale.
“The UFC taking this new stance is a great move, but [PEDs] are definitely one of those things that are hard to control,” Ellenberger said. “And not just in our sport, but competitions in general. People in America don’t realize that in other cultures using those drugs is viewed as acceptable. I have friends from all over the world and some of them were raised with that being part of the athletic culture and you get to hear different perspectives on the matter.
“I think it’s a good thing there is going to more testing and stricter penalties, but at the end of the day, it is always going to be hard to control. And there are always going to be guys who are trying to cut corners. This new policy is definitely a good thing for the sport though.
“There are a lot of phonies in my division… a lot of them,” he added. “Guys are getting hit for PEDs, which is not surprising. The rankings in the division are very subjective and it’s all opportunity for me right now. There are a lot of open doors and that’s how I see it.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
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