Tag: Alan Belcher

The Forward Roll: UFC Fight Night 25 Edition

Filed under: UFCWith his win over Jake Shields on Saturday night, Jake Ellenberger vaulted himself into any conversation about future UFC welterweight title contenders. The 53-second destruction carried with it a pointed message about Ellenberger’s sty…

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With his win over Jake Shields on Saturday night, Jake Ellenberger vaulted himself into any conversation about future UFC welterweight title contenders. The 53-second destruction carried with it a pointed message about Ellenberger’s style. He is undoubtedly an excellent wrestler, but his powerful striking makes him a serious double-threat. Those attributes will make him a matchup nightmare in the future as he attempts to continue his ascent.

Realistically, there’s still at least a win or two ahead of him until he can demand a shot at gold. That’s because of two things: 1) the win over Shields was his first over a top 10 opponent, and 2) there are still others between him and the top.

The question then is who might be next. On Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour, Ellenberger said that he would like to fight again before the end of the year. One problem with that is nearly all of the division’s key fighters are otherwise occupied.

St-Pierre faces Carlos Condit about one month from now. On the same night, Nick Diaz will fight BJ Penn. Jon Fitch, who might have been the ideal matchup for Ellenberger, fights Johny Hendricks on Dec. 30. Diego Sanchez is out with a broken hand, Josh Koscheck has an upcoming date with Matt Hughes, and Martin Kampmann and Rory MacDonald have November and December bouts, respectively.

We’re not sure what that leaves Ellenberger, but it means either he’ll have to take a non-marquee matchup, or wait a while.

Jake Ellenberger
Fitch makes the most sense for Ellenberger, but with that unlikely, there are two possibilities. The first is that the UFC tells Ellenberger to stay in fighting shape and prepare to replace someone on short notice if an injury crops up. Given all the high-profile divisional fights coming up, that is a real possibility. But with the amount of cards they have to fill in future months, that might not be a luxury they can afford. So Ellenberger might have to settle for someone with top 10 talent, if not ranking.

Prediction: I’m going to hedge my bets here. If Koscheck beats Hughes on Saturday, Ellenberger vs. Koscheck might be the way to go. My backup option is that he faces the winner of October 1’s Anthony Johnson vs. Charlie Brenneman bout.

Jake Shields
The first thing Shields deserves is some time to be with his family after the passing of his father, Jack, just two weeks before his fight. When he’s ready to return, the welterweight division will probably still be the wild jungle it is now. But after losing two in a row, Shields will be in serious need of a win. Regardless of who he matches up with, it’s not going to be an easy fight.

Prediction: Shields either faces BJ Penn if Penn loses to Diaz, or Carlos Condit, if he loses to Georges St-Pierre.

Erik Koch
The Duke Roufus product has wowed many since his first days on the international scene when he entered the WEC. His win over Jonathan Brookins showed that his offensive arsenal continues to grow and his all-around game continues to round out, something you want to see from a 22-year-old. A particularly positive sign was his ability to stuff the takedown, denying all but one of Brookins’ 20 attempts. Given his striking skills, that sustained development can only help him.

Prediction: Koch fights the winner of November’s Dustin Poirier vs. Pablo Garza fight in early 2012.

Alan Belcher
It’s hard to imagine the emotions that ran through Belcher after winning coming off a 16-month layoff due to a serious eye injury. Frankly speaking, it was a bout Belcher was expected to win, but you never quite know if an athlete will return gun-shy until he engages. There were no such problems for Belcher, who steamrolled Jason MacDonald in less than four minutes.

Prediction: Belcher signs to face Rousimar Palhares.

Court McGee
McGee’s win over Dongi Yang on Saturday was a solid step forward in his career, as Yang is a durable if unspectacular opponent. McGee mostly out-struck Yang during the three-rounder but truly shined with his excellent conditioning, taking over the bout in the final minutes to seal the win. That victory moved him to 3-0 in the UFC, meaning it’s time to advance him up a level in competition.

Prediction: Ed Herman has two stoppage wins in 2011 and no currently scheduled bout. That sounds about right for McGee.

Evan Dunham
Dunham needed a win in the worst way, and got one in workmanlike fashion over Shamar Bailey. Once considered a rising contender, Dunham still has some work to do to win back the doubters who were once in his corner. To do that, he’s going to have to beat a name fighter with a solid reputation. Fortunately for him, there’s no shortage of those in his division.

Prediction: A date with Cole Miller is in his future.

 

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Falling Action: Best and Worst of UFC Fight Night 25

Filed under: UFCThe lack of any bizarre finishes or fighter-interviewer confrontations may have buried UFC Fight Night 25 in the headlines, but there were no shortage of ups and downs in New Orleans on Saturday night.

It’s time again to look at the bi…

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The lack of any bizarre finishes or fighter-interviewer confrontations may have buried UFC Fight Night 25 in the headlines, but there were no shortage of ups and downs in New Orleans on Saturday night.

It’s time again to look at the biggest winners, losers, and everything in between after the UFC’s most recent offering.

Biggest Winner: Jake Ellenberger
A 53-second TKO win over a guy who hasn’t been finished in over a decade? Yeah, that’s pretty huge, especially since that guy went five rounds with the champ in a losing effort just five months ago. But now what do you do with Ellenberger? He’s won five straight in the UFC, with only one of those fights going the distance, and yet he’s had trouble gaining traction in the contender conversation at welterweight. This win should change that, but how much? The only people who were surprised to see Ellenberger win this fight were those who hadn’t followed his career before now. He’s a superb athlete, a well-rounded fighter with no glaring weakness, and — maybe soon — a top contender.

Biggest Loser: Jason MacDonald
With the loss to Belcher, “The Athlete” fell to 1-2 in his latest UFC run. Even worse is that he did not look good doing it. MacDonald’s plan seemed to be to get Belcher to the mat however possible, even if he had to pull him straight into his guard. But as soon as Belcher stung him with a couple elbows from the top, MacDonald looked like he might be considering other ways to spend a Saturday night. There’s no shame in losing to a quality middleweight like Belcher, but when you don’t put up much of a fight it makes people wonder: does MacDonald still really want to be doing this for a living, or is it just the best idea he can think of at the moment? If you’re not all the way in this sport, there are plenty of guys who can help you all the way out — but they aren’t going to be nice about it.

Most Sympathetic: Jake Shields
We could argue over whether his loss had anything to do with him fighting just a few weeks after the death of his father (who was also his manager), but it doesn’t matter. The mere fact that he didn’t drop out of this fight, that he kept going to the gym and walked in that cage when his name was called tells you a lot about his character and his determination. I don’t know how he did it, nor do I know if, in the end, it was such a good idea. I just hope the UFC appreciates the kind of person and fighter they have here. A lot of the guys on the roster wouldn’t have done what he did, and nobody could have blamed them. Shields stepped up and got beat, but no one can question his mental toughness. At least now he’ll get some time to go home and grieve.

Best Prospect: Erik Koch
He’s now won four straight dating back to his WEC days, and two in a row in the UFC. The solid takedown defense he showed against Brookins compliments his stand-up game well, even if you’d still like to see him get a little more aggressive with his striking when he’s finding his target as easily as he did on Saturday night. Still, he’s got a ton of potential and he’s not yet 23 years old. I don’t know where Duke Roufus finds these lumps of clay to mold to his liking, but he has something worth developing with Koch.

Not Quite Ready for Primetime: Jonathan Brookins
It’s fine to go into a fight planning on taking it to the ground. But when you can’t get it, you eventually have to change strategies. Brookins didn’t, and after getting out-struck when the fight stayed at a distance, he had to know he wasn’t going to win that decision. On one hand, maybe it’s encouraging that he can stick to a game plan so well. On the other, when you can’t get past step one of that game plan, it’s time to look for a different path. Takedowns and top control might have been good enough to win TUF, but he’s got to find something else to threaten people with if he’s going to find success at the next level.

Least Affected by a Layoff: Alan Belcher
I admit, I was a little worried about how Belcher would look after being gone from the cage for the last 14 months. That’s a tough chunk of time for a 27-year-old fighter to lose, and some need to ease back into action more than others. But as he was putting a serious hurt on MacDonald in the first round, Belcher looked as though he’d never left. We didn’t get to see much of his timing on the feet, but his aggression and finishing instincts are still clearly intact. That’s reassuring, because Belcher seemed like he was just finding his groove when those sudden eye issues halted his progress. Now that he’s back, look out.

Stealthiest Ascent: Court McGee
It’s got to be hard to know what to do with McGee, who is quietly stacking up wins. Nearly a year went by between his first post-TUF UFC bout and this decision win, and that time is critical when you’re riding that fickle reality TV show fame. In his fight against Yang, as in his previous fight against Ryan Jensen, he started a little slow but showed impressive resiliency down the stretch. It’s almost as if he needs to get nailed with a good shot before he steps his game up and gets serious about his offense. He’s now 2-0 in the UFC since winning the reality show, but those two wins were stretched out over eleven months, so it’s not as if there’s a real groundswell of fan energy behind him. Maybe the best thing is for the UFC to keep gradually increasing the level of competition, hoping that he can stay healthy enough to stay in the picture. At least that beard makes him difficult to forget.

 

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‘UFC Fight Night: Shields vs. Ellenberger’ Aftermath: Big Upset in the Big Easy


Our thoughts exactly. Props: MMAMania

Coming into last night’s UFC Fight Night 25, Jake Shields was in a lose-lose situation. He was presented with an opponent, Jake Ellenberger, who was facing his first real step up in competition. A victory over him wouldn’t necessarily propel Shields back to the top of the welterweight division. If Jake Shields lost, well, Jake Shields isn’t going to lose this one so let’s not worry about it. Last night was going to be Jake Shield’s first step towards living up to the hype that surrounded him when he entered the UFC and getting back in the mix for a shot at the welterweight title. There was only one problem: That didn’t happen. In just under one minute, Jake Ellenberger practically ended the Jake Shields era.

This isn’t to say that it’s over for Jake Shields, or that he still can’t work his way back to relevance in the welterweight division. But it’s certainly over for the myth that Jake Shields is still one of the top fighters out there. Last night, Jake Shields couldn’t implement his game plan because Jake Ellenberger was able to stuff his takedown attempts. It wasn’t “What did Shields do wrong”; it was what Ellenberger did right. He was the better fighter, plain and simple. And let’s not entertain the thought of “early stoppage” any more than we had to after hearing Jake Shields imply it last night. When you take a knee directly to the chin, immediately turtle up, and then try to grapple with the referee who pulls your opponent off of you, you have no business saying that the fight was stopped early. If you didn’t think Shields was out when you first watched that fight, watch it again while you still can.


Our thoughts exactly. Props: MMAMania

Coming into last night’s UFC Fight Night 25, Jake Shields was in a lose-lose situation. He was presented with an opponent, Jake Ellenberger, who was facing his first real step up in competition. A victory over him wouldn’t necessarily propel Shields back to the top of the welterweight division. If Jake Shields lost, well, Jake Shields isn’t going to lose this one so let’s not worry about it. Last night was going to be Jake Shield’s first step towards living up to the hype that surrounded him when he entered the UFC and getting back in the mix for a shot at the welterweight title. There was only one problem: That didn’t happen. In just under one minute, Jake Ellenberger practically ended the Jake Shields era.

This isn’t to say that it’s over for Jake Shields, or that he still can’t work his way back to relevance in the welterweight division. But it’s certainly over for the myth that Jake Shields is still one of the top fighters out there. Last night, Jake Shields couldn’t implement his game plan because Jake Ellenberger was able to stuff his takedown attempts. It wasn’t “What did Shields do wrong”; it was what Ellenberger did right. He was the better fighter, plain and simple. And let’s not entertain the thought of “early stoppage” any more than we had to after hearing Jake Shields imply it last night. When you take a knee directly to the chin, immediately turtle up, and then try to grapple with the referee who pulls your opponent off of you, you have no business saying that the fight was stopped early. If you didn’t think Shields was out when you first watched that fight, watch it again while you still can.

I’m really not sure what to call Court McGee’s performance last night. But I will say that the TUF 11 winner handled his eleven months away from the sport as well as possible. He stuck to his game plan against a game Dongi Yang, and managed to grind out a decision victory. McGee may not be ready for the deep end of the middleweight division yet, but he’s certainly appearing promising so far. Ed Herman is being suggested as a future opponent, and I can’t say I disagree with that. As for the other TUF winner on the card, Jonathan Brookins didn’t win, but he managed to not get knocked out against Erik Koch. Admit it: that was far more than you were expecting from him. Brookins did what he had to do to remain conscious against Koch by implementing a wall-and-stall “offense”, and secured a few takedowns in the process. An ugly way to lose, but when you’re a TUF winner, you can get away with it. Likewise, the ugly victory more than likely stalls Koch for the time being, despite the improved wrestling that he displayed by managing to avoid most of Brookins’ takedowns.

One final thing to take away from last night was Alan Belcher’s effortless return to action. Despite a sixteen month layoff that nearly ended his career, Belcher made quick work of Jason MacDonald, punching him out in the first round. Given the almost embarrassing lack of depth in the middleweight division, Belcher may find himself back in the mix with that victory. Not bad for a guy who was considering retirement before last night’s fight. As for Jason MacDonald, well, there’s always Strikeforce (for the next few months, at least).

Full results, courtesy of MMAJunkie:

MAIN CARD

Jake Ellenberger def. Jake Shields via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 0:53
Court McGee def. Dongi Yang via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-28)
Erik Koch def. Jonathan Brookins via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
Alan Belcher def. Jason MacDonald via verbal submission (punches) – Round 1, 3:48

PRELIMINARY CARD

Vagner Rocha def. Cody McKenzie via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 3:49
Evan Dunham def. Shamar Bailey via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Lance Benoist def. Matt Riddle via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Ken Stone def. Donny Walker via technical submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 2:40
Seth Baczynski def. Clay Harvison via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 1:12
T.J. Waldburger def. Mike Stumpf via submission (triangle choke) – Round 1, 3:52
Robert Peralta def. Mike Lullo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Justin Edwards def. Jorge Lopez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

(SF)

Layoff Teaches Alan Belcher Patience, Believes UFC Title Shot Will Come

Filed under: UFC, NewsNEW ORLEANS – If Alan Belcher’s mind wasn’t made up before Saturday, it sounds like it is now.

Belcher returned to work for the first time in 16 months, following a pair of successful eye surgeries for a detached retina, and mad…

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NEW ORLEANS – If Alan Belcher‘s mind wasn’t made up before Saturday, it sounds like it is now.

Belcher returned to work for the first time in 16 months, following a pair of successful eye surgeries for a detached retina, and made quick work of Jason MacDonald at UFC Fight Night 25 in New Orleans, winning by first-round TKO.

But after the fight, Belcher said he needed the win over MacDonald to be sure he was making the right decision to continue fighting rather than considering retirement.

“Even up until tonight, I was kind of uncertain of what I wanted to do,” Belcher said at the post-fight press conference after his win. “I gave my all in this training camp and everything, but I was nervous as hell going into this fight, coming back.”

But Belcher’s nerves apparently dissipated quickly. The win for Belcher (17-6, 8-4 UFC) was his third straight and fifth in six fights – the only blemish in that stretch being a controversial split decision against Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 100. And going into the fight with MacDonald, Belcher had four straight post-fight bonus wins, as well.

And now that things went perhaps even better than he could have expected? Well, Belcher doesn’t see any reason he can’t be right back in the hunt for the middleweight title, the way he was before he was on the shelf for more than a year.

“I missed the feeling, and I feel like I can definitely continue down the path I was on – trying to go for a title shot,” Belcher said. “I think that’s what I’m going to do now.”

Belcher had plenty of support from the crowd at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. His home is in Biloxi, Miss., also on the Gulf Coast and a little over an hour away.

But despite that boost from the fans, and despite the adrenaline coming immediately after the fight, Belcher said he won’t start thinking about a future title shot, necessarily – even though he predicts one will come if he keeps on track.

“I still want to take it one fight at a time,” Belcher said. “Before I had the injury, I was in such a hurry to try and get a bunch of wins and get to the top and everything. Through this whole experience, it just taught me to be a lot more patient. I’ve got a feeling that the title shot is going to come faster than I want it to now, so I’m not really worried about it now.”

 

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UFC Fight Night 25: What’s Next for the Losers?

The UFC is pretty consistent in giving fans at least one memorable fight each card, and there is no question that Jake Ellenberger’s destruction of Jake Shields will stay in the minds of everyone for months to come. Overall, it wasn’t the b…

The UFC is pretty consistent in giving fans at least one memorable fight each card, and there is no question that Jake Ellenberger’s destruction of Jake Shields will stay in the minds of everyone for months to come.

Overall, it wasn’t the best Fight Night card the organization has put on, and it seemed a little anticlimactic as the final Fight Night to air on Spike, but impressive performances by Ellenberger and Alan Belcher made the card memorable in its own way.

As much fun as it is talking about the winners, this article is all about the losers—and the best way for them to rebound. 

Begin Slideshow

‘UFC Fight Night: Shields vs. Ellenberger’ — Round-by-Round Results


(Man, you know Dana’s heart isn’t in this one when he can’t even be bothered to put on a funky t-shirt. / Photo courtesy of CombatLifestyle. For more photos from this album, click here.)

We told you why you should watch, and we told you how we think it’ll go down. At this point, it’s in God’s hands.

Tonight in New Orleans, Jake Shields and Jake Ellenberger will lock horns in a pivotal welterweight contest. Will Shields shows flashes of his old submission-machine self, or will Ellenberger spoil the party in the Big Easy?

Plus: Middleweights Alan Belcher and Jason MacDonald kick off the main card, and Court McGee and Jonathan Brookins take the next steps in their post-TUF careers. Meanwhile on pay-per-view, Floyd Mayweather Jr. is boxing Victor Ortiz, and hell, maybe we’ll give you updates on that one as well.

Live round-by-round updates from the Spike TV broadcast of “UFC Fight Night: Shields vs. Ellenberger” will be piling up after the jump starting at 9 p.m. ET. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest. Here, we, go.


(Man, you know Dana’s heart isn’t in this one when he can’t even be bothered to put on a funky t-shirt. / Photo courtesy of CombatLifestyle. For more photos from this album, click here.)

We told you why you should watch, and we told you how we think it’ll go down. At this point, it’s in God’s hands.

Tonight in New Orleans, Jake Shields and Jake Ellenberger will lock horns in a pivotal welterweight contest. Will Shields shows flashes of his old submission-machine self, or will Ellenberger spoil the party in the Big Easy?

Plus: Middleweights Alan Belcher and Jason MacDonald kick off the main card, and Court McGee and Jonathan Brookins take the next steps in their post-TUF careers. Meanwhile on pay-per-view, Floyd Mayweather Jr. is boxing Victor Ortiz, and hell, maybe we’ll give you updates on that one as well.

Live round-by-round updates from the Spike TV broadcast of “UFC Fight Night: Shields vs. Ellenberger” will be piling up after the jump starting at 9 p.m. ET. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest. Here, we, go.

So they’re going to start airing King of Queens re-runs on Spike? EXTREEEEEME, BRO!!!!!!!

Alan Belcher vs. Jason MacDonald

Round 1: Belcher stalking with his jab. MacDonald tries for a takedown but Belcher defends, and they lock up against the fence. MacDonald re-sets for a single leg, and drags Belcher down after some effort. But Belcher lands on top, in MacDonald’s guard. Belcher with a stiff punch from the top. MacDonald trying to hold him, but Belcher opens up and blasts down heavy punches. MacDonald covers up, then grabs an arm for a kimura attempt. Belcher defends and moves to side-control. MacDonald re-establishes guard and gets slugged in the face. He looks hurt. Now elbows and more punches from Belcher and MacDonald turtles under the onslaught. Belcher pours it on until the ref stops it. It’s all over. Impressive return performance from the Talent.
Belcher def. MacDonald via verbal submission (strikes), 3:48 of round 1. Damn, I didn’t see Jason cry uncle, but there you go.

Jonathan Brookins vs. Erik Koch

Round 1: Koch starts with a leg kick. Brookins throws a teep, and shoots, Royce Gracie style. He’s a little slow with it, but he still grabs onto Koch’s leg. Koch defends, and Brookins sneaks in a sharp standing elbow in the clinch. Koch lands a knee to Brookins’s grill. Knee to the gut from Brookins, then another elbow. Koch gets free and lands a long straight left. Leg kick Koch. Another straight left. Brookins works his way inside and grabs onto Koch’s leg again. Brookins drops to the mat with it, but Koch makes him pay with hammerfists and elbows to the temple. Koch shakes free. Brookins with another short elbow. The round ends with Brookins flipping Koch to the mat.

Round 2: Koch opening up with his punches. Brookins dashes forward trying to grab Koch’s leg, but can’t convert. Koch lands his straight left again. Brookins works again for a takedown. Brookins drags Koch down, but Koch is quickly back up, with the TUF winner still hanging off of him. The crowd begins their inevitable booing. Koch breaks free. Leg kick from Koch. Great punch combo and leg kick from Koch. Brookins goes back to his wall-and-stall. Finally he puts Koch’s back on the mat. Koch pushes off and gets to his feet, eating a punch on the way up. Brookins is on him like glue. Koch with an elbow to his head to end the round.

Round 3: Nice 1-2 from Koch. Clinch and knee from Brookins. Brookins shoots in for the single but Koch pulls out. Koch sticks the jab. Leg kick Koch. Another single-leg attempt from Brookins. Good defense from Koch. Koch tries to disengage but Brookins follows him and sticks an elbow. They break, and Koch scores a head kick, followed by a leg kick. Brookins tries a superman punch. They tie up and Koch takes Brookins down for a half-second. Koch puts Brookins against the fence. They separate and trade punches before Brookins grabs on again. Dirty boxing from Brookins to the last bell. Kind of an ugly one.
Erik Koch def. Jonathan Brookins via unanimous decision (30-27 x 2, 29-28). Whoa. Two judges gave Koch all three rounds? No love for takedown attempts tonight. Not that I’m complaining; Koch definitely won the majority of striking exchanges.

An interview appearance by Jon Jones and Rampage Jackson turns into an argument about the alleged Jones spy in ‘Page’s camp. “You gettin’ destroyed, homey,” Rampage says.

Court McGee vs. Dongi Yang

Round 1: Yang throws a straight to McGee’s body. He throws and lands to the head. Yang is a step quicker than McGee in the opening moments of the round, avoiding all of McGee’s punches. But McGee finally lands with a short right, and it’s a good one. Yang with a hook. They trade leg kicks. Yang catches a leg kick, but misses the counter punch. Yang stumbles after a leg kick. McGee reaches out at Yang’s face, not for the first time, and follows it up with a punch. McGee dashes forward with some punches at the bell.

Round 2: Inside leg kick Court. Both guys swing hooks at each other. McGee rushes in to clinch, Yang tosses him off. Yang lands a pair of counter-punches as McGee attacks. McGee jabs. Slick 1-2 from Yang. McGee fires the head kick. Hard straight left from Yang. McGee shoots and grabs Yang around the waist, but the Judo black belt easily gets out. Leg kick Yang as the crowd boos. Body shot Yang. Yang sticks him with a counter as McGee lumbers in. Head kick McGee, followed by a leg kick, then some punches. McGee shoots, Yang ain’t having it. There’s the bell.

Round 3: Yang jabs. McGee shoots in, Yang defends and chases him off. McGee throws a kick, eats a hook. Yang’s nose is bloodied. McGee lands a right. Yang staggers McGee with a hook and darts in with a flying knee! He takes Court to the mat but McGee is up and slugging. Now Yang looks stunned, but he fires back with a punch and kick. Now it’s a fight. McGee clinches up, Yang shakes off. McGee landing more punches now. Nice uppercut in close. McGee shoots, Yang defends, but McGee stays on him and puts Yang down briefly. McGee outboxing Yang now, but is it too late? McGee with another takedown, and drops elbows on Yang. McGee grabs a guillotine and cranks it, but Yang pulls out just as the round ends.
Court McGee def Dongi Yang via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-28). No time for a post-fight interview. Hey, that third judge scored one of the first two rounds 10-10. Good for him!

Jake Shields vs. Jake Ellenberger

Round 1: Ellenberger comes out throwing hard. Jake looking to implement his gameplan right away, but can’t get Ellenberger down on his first attempt. They clinch up, and Ellenberger lands a knee to the body and one to the chin that drops Shields to the mat. Holy crap! Ellenberger jackhammers some left hands into Shields’s dome until the referee jumps in. Shields in la-la land, trying to grapple with the ref. And now you’ll remember the name “Ellenberger.”
Jake Ellenberger def. Jake Shields via TKO, 0:53 of round 1.

Shields thinks it was an early stoppage. “Ref’s decision, [but] I wanted to keep fighting.” Huh. I mean, he was clearly unconscious. Maybe he was still out of it while giving that interview. And we are officially living in a post-Shields era. What did y’all think?

PRELIMINARY CARD RESULTS

– Vagner Rocha def. Cody McKenzie via submission (rear-naked choke), 3:49 of round 2

– Evan Dunham def. Shamar Bailey via unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)

– Lance Benoist def. Matt Riddle via unanimous decision (29-28 x 3)

– Ken Stone def. Donny Walker via submission (rear naked choke), 2:47 of round 1

– Seth Baczynski def. Clay Harvison via submission (rear naked choke), 1:12 of round 2

– TJ Waldburger def. Mike Stumpf via submission (triangle choke), 3:52 of round 1

– Robert Peralta def. Mike Lullo via unanimous decision (30-27 x 2, 29-28)

– Justin Edwards def. Jorge Lopez via unanimous decision (29-28 x 3)