It became clear early that Evan Dunham and Shamar Bailey operate on two different levels.Dunham, a former lightweight contender, took it to Bailey early, scoring time and time again with effective one-two shots.Bailey attempted the takedown early, thou…
It became clear early that Evan Dunham and Shamar Bailey operate on two different levels.
Dunham, a former lightweight contender, took it to Bailey early, scoring time and time again with effective one-two shots.
Bailey attempted the takedown early, though the wrestler quickly abandoned grappling with Dunham when all of his efforts proved unsuccessful.
Dunham continued to pour on the punches, mixed in with kicks, over the course of the three round battle and even seemed to have Bailey’s number in the waning moments of the bout with a guillotine choke, though The Ultimate Fighter veteran survived to see the end of the match.
Dunham walked away the winner, though Shamar definitely took a moral victory in the process.
The win for the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt in Dunham puts him back on track in his UFC career. After dropping a highly controversial split-decision to former champ Sean Sherk in September of last year, the Xtreme Couture product was upset by rising contender Melvin Guillard this past January, with a first-round TKO.
Dunham will now have the chance to climb back up the lightweight ladder, as he made obvious that his talents are destined elsewhere, proving that he belongs in the upper echelon of the division.
Bailey, meanwhile, may have secured his position in the UFC through sheer force of will against Dunham. Bailey ate upwards of a hundred shots on the feet; he took a licking but kept on ticking, plodding forward and never gave up his ground.
Shamar is a physical specimen at 155-pounds and will almost always be the bigger man in the cage, but if he doesn’t add some more effective strikes to his entire repertoire, he’s destined to suffer defeats at the hands of fighters who will be able to stuff his powerful takedowns.
(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.)
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.)
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)
Filed under: UFC, NewsNEW ORLEANS – In what was unquestionably the most emotional fight of Jake Shields’ career, the former champion ran into a buzzsaw in Jake Ellenberger.
In the main event of UFC Fight Night 25 in New Orleans, Ellenberger handed Sh…
NEW ORLEANS – In what was unquestionably the most emotional fight of Jake Shields‘ career, the former champion ran into a buzzsaw in Jake Ellenberger.
In the main event of UFC Fight Night 25 in New Orleans, Ellenberger handed Shields the quickest loss of his career with a 53-second TKO. The loss comes just three weeks after the death of Shields’ father and manager, Jack Shields.
“It’s unbelievable – Jake Shields is a world champion, so I can’t explain how I feel right now,” Ellenberger said. “Just keeping the pressure – that was the strategy coming in here. I came out with the W and it feels great.”
Ellenberger (25-5, 5-1 UFC) landed a left and a right, then moved in on Shields, tying him up. He threw one right knee, then a second that landed on the button. Shields dropped to the canvas, and Ellenberger pounced and landed several shots from Shields’ back before the fight was stopped.
Shields (26-6-1, 1-2 UFC) appeared to go limp when the knee landed, then continued to look finished when he wasn’t covering up from Ellenberger’s strikes. But the former Strikeforce middleweight champion said after the fight he didn’t think it should have been stopped.
“I’m just frustrated,” Shields told Joe Rogan. “I got hit with a good hit. I thought I could still fight, but it is what it is. I thought I could keep fighting, but the ref thought it was time to stop it. There’s nothing I can do.”
Ellenberger’s win gives him five straight in the welterweight division. Champion Georges St-Pierre defends his title against Carlos Condit next month, and a fight between BJ Penn and Nick Diaz could determine the next contender after Condit. But Ellenberger’s quick win over Shields will have his name in consideration.
Ellenberger, though, said he won’t think about where he should fall in the division.
“It really doesn’t matter where I think I’m at. It’s up to the UFC, and whoever they tell me to fight, I’m going to fight,” Ellenberger said.
Ellenberger also said he was surprised he won the fight as quickly as he did. It was the fastest fight in Shields’ career, and obviously his fastest loss. It was only the second time in Shields’ career that he has been stopped, and the first time since 2000.
“I definitely could have envisioned myself winning this fight – but not that quick,” Ellenberger said. “It happened fast, but I trained hard for this fight and I knew I was ready. … The ref’s job is to stop the fight, so I’m going to go until he stops me.”
In the co-main event, Court McGee returned for the first time in 11 months and beat Dongi Yang by unanimous decision. McGee, the Season 11 winner of “The Ultimate Fighter,” was rocked in the third round, but held on to get the victory, winning by scores of 30-27, 29-28 and 30-28.
And Alan Belcher returned for the first time in 16 months following a pair of eye surgeries and stopped Jason MacDonald in the first round. The win came just about an hour away from Belcher’s Biloxi, Miss., home.
“It felt great, man – the crowd definitely gave some energy,” Belcher said. “Even up until tonight, I was uncertain what I wanted to do. I was nervous as hell going into this training camp. I missed the feeling, and I feel like I can definitely continue down the path I was on and go for a title shot. I’ve got a feeling the title shot’s going to come faster than I want it now.”
Also on the main card, featherweight Erik Koch won his fourth straight with a unanimous decision victory over Jonathan Brookins.
UFC president Dana White after the fight handed out $55,000 bonus awards to four fighters. Ellenberger took the Knockout of the Night, delivering the night’s only KO or TKO. TJ Waldburger, one of four submission wins, won Submission of the Night. And Lance Benoist and Matt Riddle won Fight of the Night for their preliminary card slugfest, won by Benoist in his UFC debut by unanimous decision.
This was viewed as an elimination match for the bantamweights that entered the cage in this preliminary fight. Ken Stone came out fast and used his submission finishing skills to place Donny Walker on the brink of an UFC exit. Stone started…
This was viewed as an elimination match for the bantamweights that entered the cage in this preliminary fight. Ken Stone came out fast and used his submission finishing skills to place Donny Walker on the brink of an UFC exit.
Stone started with excellent technical striking at the onset. It is definitely clear that he has worked heavily on being more technical and balanced in that area. Donny Walker looked decent also, until Stone applied pressure and the fight got the ground. From that point, Stone took control and quickly moved to his back. Walker has had consistent trouble fending off submissions in his career with 3 of his last 4 losses have been by a rear-naked choke.
Even in a dire situation, Walker showed a warrior’s spirit as he refused to submit even when Stone secured the rear-naked choke. However, Walker’s will couldn’t keep his eyes open as he took a nap in ring as Stone celebrated a win at 2:40 into round one to move his UFC career record to 1-1. The win saves what would’ve been a sure exit from the UFC for Stone and most likely pushes Donny Walker back to lower organizations to hone his skills.
Stone’s next fight will probably be a gate keeper fight against a UFC newcomer on another UFC fight night or Ultimate Fighter finale to show Joe Silva that he has the tools to step up in competition. Donny Walker’s next fight will most likely be in a Shark Fights bout coming to a city near you.
Filed under: UFC, NewsNEW ORLEANS – In the battle of the two Jakes, Ellenberger dismantled Shields quickly in the first round, and he’s an extra $55,000 richer because of it.
In the main event of UFC Fight Night 25 in New Orleans on Saturday, Jake El…
NEW ORLEANS – In the battle of the two Jakes, Ellenberger dismantled Shields quickly in the first round, and he’s an extra $55,000 richer because of it.
In the main event of UFC Fight Night 25 in New Orleans on Saturday, Jake Ellenberger stopped Jake Shields with a 54-second TKO – his fifth straight win in the welterweight division. After the fight, UFC president Dana White awarded Ellenberger the Knockout of the Night bonus of $55,000.
The night’s other bonus winners were Lance Benoist and Matt Riddle for Fight of the Night and TJ Waldburger for Submission of the Night, a first-round triangle choke win over Mike Stumpf, who was making his UFC debut.
Ellenberger became the first fighter to stop Shields since 2000, Shields’ first pro loss in his third fight. Shields, the former Strikeforce middleweight champion, went more than six years without a loss before he fell to welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre in April. Shields now has two straight losses for the first time in his career, and falls to 1-2 in the UFC – his lone win being a controversial split decision over Martin Kampmann in his debut last October.
Ellenberger’s fifth straight win was also his fourth KO or TKO in his last five fights. The win is likely to put him squarely into the welterweight title picture. St-Pierre defends his title against Carlos Condit next month, with BJ Penn and Nick Diaz also in consideration.
Waldburger recorded the night’s first submission, and it held up with three other submissions on the night, plus a verbal tappet. The former Shark Fights welterweight champion is now 2-1 since joining the UFC last year.
And Benoist and Riddle may have had little competition for their Fight of the Night win, a back-and-forth battle with plenty of blood that Benoist won by a 29-28 unanimous decision. Benoist was making his UFC debut and stays unbeaten in his pro career at 6-0.
Filed under: UFC, NewsJake Ellenberger scored the biggest win of his career Saturday by knocking out Jake Shields in 53 seconds at UFC Fight Night 25 in New Orleans.
Grabbing the Muay Thai clinch, Ellenberger landed a knee to the body and then a knee …
Jake Ellenberger scored the biggest win of his career Saturday by knocking out Jake Shields in 53 seconds at UFC Fight Night 25 in New Orleans.
Grabbing the Muay Thai clinch, Ellenberger landed a knee to the body and then a knee to the head to collapse Shields forward. Quick to capitalize on his stunned opponent, Ellenberger jumped in with fast left hands for the referee stoppage.
Shields expressed that he could have continued in the post-fight interview with announcer Joe Rogan, but he sure didn’t appear to be from the spectator’s standpoint, as he tried to take down the referee after the stoppage. The loss was an especially difficult one for the former Strikeforce middleweight champion considering he lost his father less than three weeks ago. Shields came into the fight having only been finished once in his career, a first-round TKO suffered against Marty Armendarez back in March 2000 — Shields’ third professional MMA fight.
Ellenberger, who hasn’t tasted defeat since his UFC debut in September 2009 against current No. 1 contender Carlos Condit, made the most his first high-profile fight and now finds himself in welterweight title contention with this win.
“Jake Shields is a champion,” Ellenberger said. “I can’t explain how I feel right now, it feels great.”
With his fifth straight UFC win, Ellenberger improves his overall record to 25-5. Meanwhile, Shields’ record slides to 26-6-1.
NEW ORLEANS – In what was unquestionably the most emotional fight of 
NEW ORLEANS – In the battle of the two Jakes, Ellenberger dismantled Shields quickly in the first round, and he’s an extra $55,000 richer because of it. 
Jake Ellenberger