Pressure is a different type of animal and one Jake Ellenberger is familiar with.
The welterweight powerhouse has been a staple of the welterweight division’s upper tier for the past handful of years and has traded leather with a collection of the best fighters the 170-pound fold has to offer in the process. Over that stretch The Juggernaut has put together multiple winning streaks and racked up victories over former champions and title challengers alike, which put him within striking distance of a welterweight title shot.
Yet, tides change rapidly at the top level of mixed martial arts, and the 29-year-old Omaha, Nebraska, native is facing a different type of challenge at this current juncture of his career.
Where Ellenberger once had serious momentum to become a title contender, he’s now fighting to keep his place in the elite tier of the highly competitive welterweight collective. A two-fight skid has put Ellenberger‘s back against the proverbial wall, and a third consecutive loss would put any hopes of a future title bid on ice.
These are all understood realities for the former Marine, but he’s never been one to fold when the chips are down. Instead, Ellenberger is keeping his outlook locked in the positive realm and putting every ounce of focus on his upcoming tilt with talented upstart Kelvin Gastelum.
He will step in to mix it up with The Ultimate Fighter season 19 winner at UFC 180 in Mexico City, and Ellenberger is putting everything he has to give into turning back the surging prospect.
In his mind, that’s the possible option, and he’s determined to turn things around in a big way on Saturday night.
“I’ve changed up my training and have found a lot of value in that,” Ellenberger told Bleacher Report. “In the past, I really feel I’ve done too much training and spread myself thin because of it. Being able to have more direction and focus on my training with my coach Edmond [Tarverdyan] has been a big change, and I feel great because of it. I’ve been loose and having fun in the gym. I’ve stayed relax, and when you have fun you do well. I’m not wearing any kind of pressure on my shoulders and everything has been good.
“In my mind I make things a little more simple. If you aren’t No. 1, then it doesn’t really matter what you are. It doesn’t matter if you are No. 5, 9 or 20 because anything outside of that No. 1 spot doesn’t matter. There are no easy fights at this level because everybody is tough. I like the matchup with Gastelum a lot because he’s willing to fight and engage, and I do well against fighters with that style.”
While Gastelum has been thriving in his underdog role since winning the reality-based fighting program, his bout with Ellenberger represents passage into the deepest waters of competition the welterweight division has to offer. That said, Ellenberger has been battling at the elite level for years, and he believes that caliber of experience will go a long way in his upcoming bout with Gastelum.
He also believes he’ll have the edge in the stylistic matchup as Ellenberger has found a solid amount of success when facing opponents with aggressive styles. Gastelum works behind a hard-charging attack that doesn’t let up, and Ellenberger feels he’ll have the answer to anything his 23-year-old opponent brings to the table.
“Kelvin is a wrestler, and that makes it very exciting as well,” Ellenberger said. “I haven’t been able to face a wrestler in a long time, and that will be interesting. At the top level you have to face the toughest fighters out there. My last two fights have been against two of the best guys in the world, so it’s like I’ve been marinating, and I know exactly what it’s like.
“I have fought guys like Kelvin in the past. I know what they know and can make adjustments. I’ve trained with wrestlers my entire life. I really have grown to have a better understanding of ring generalship and how to control the center and set the rhythm. There are so many things that have become more clear to me and that allows me to bring more confidence into this fight with Kelvin.”
In addition to the challenges he will face inside the Octagon on Saturday night, every fighter on the card at UFC 180 will be forced to do with the thin air that comes with Mexico City sitting more than 7,000 feet above sea level. The grind of an MMA fight is tough as is, and competing at elevation has proven to zap a normally conditioned fighter’s gas tank in quick fashion.
Nevertheless, Ellenberger has prepared to compete in the conditions surrounding Mexico City and believes it will provide a unique puzzle he’s looking forward to solving on Saturday night.
“The elevation is a going to be a fun little variable in this fight,” Ellenberger said. “I’ve spent a lot of time training in altitude like Big Bear and in the mountains around where I live. It’s one of those things that’s more mental than anything. You have to be comfortable in that atmosphere. I believe if you are in shape, then you’re in shape.
“It’s kind of funny because fighting is so uncomfortable as it is, so why don’t we put it at 10,000 ft. to make it just a little more uncomfortable,” he laughed. “Let’s make it just a little bit harder to breathe when you are already stepping in there to fight another man. Why not? But all jokes aside, I’m in shape, and I’m ready to go.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
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