At least one half of the co-main event at UFC on FOX 8 will enter Seattle’s Key Arena with a chip on his shoulder.
Jake Ellenberger has 35 pro fights under his belt, has been in the UFC since 2009, and has won eight of his past nine fights. And yet he finds himself ranked underneath his July 27 opponent, Rory MacDonald, in most welterweight standings.
Ellenberger has complained about MacDonald on both Twitter and during several recent interviews. And he took his grievances to Tuesday’s media teleconference promoting the card.
The Omaha native first took a jab at the metrosexual Montrealer’s appearance.
“I haven’t said anything that wasn’t true,” Ellenberger said when asked about his comments. “My message to Rory was pretty clear. … This isn’t a Tears for Fears lookalike contest. All I said to him is prepare for some horizontal television time and I meant it.”
Ellenberger (29-6), whose UFC victories include the likes of Diego Sanchez, Jake Shields, and Nate Marquardt, then went on to say that the younger MacDonald isn’t yet in his class.
“I’m going out there to perform and to win,” Ellenberger said. “It doesn’t matter, Rory doesn’t have a choice where this fight goes, this fight goes where I want it to go. He shown he has potential, has not faced anyone like me. So I’m stoked to be in there.”
MacDonald (14-1), of course, isn’t exactly a can. He’s won four straight, with wins over the likes of Nate Diaz and B.J. Penn in that span.
He’s also earned a rep for letting opponents’ insults roll right off. Such was the case on Tuesday.
“I don’t really care,” MacDonald replied, when asked about Ellenberger’s “Tears for Fears” comment. “It doesn’t really bother me either way, I don’t really care about the disrespect or whatever. I just get in there and fight my fight. If they suffer, they suffer. I don’t really care if they’re nice or if they’re an a–hole.”