Remember the days when Jake Ellenberger was one of the more feared fighters at 170 pounds? It appears Mr. Ellenberger himself has forgotten that as well.
The Nebraska native was thoroughly outclassed by his UFC 173 opponent, Robbie Lawler. There was ne…
Remember the days when Jake Ellenberger was one of the more feared fighters at 170 pounds? It appears Mr. Ellenberger himself has forgotten that as well.
The Nebraska native was thoroughly outclassed by his UFC 173 opponent, Robbie Lawler. There was never a moment when MMA fans could picture Ellenberger finding a way to have his hand raised after witnessing Lawler pick him apart.
The fight was similar to Ellenberger‘s last bout with Rory MacDonald. Both fights had quite a bit of build behind them, but in the end, Ellenberger simply froze.
It happened against MacDonald, and it happened again at UFC 173.
MacDonald also came in with a conservative game plan so Ellenberger didn’t look as bad as his strategy was that night. But at UFC 173, faced with the cool, calculating destruction machine Lawler, Ellenberger couldn’t make it to the final bell.
It was just a few short years ago that Ellenberger was everyone’s favorite dark-horse title contender. He blasted through Jake Shields to end 2011 and went 2-1 over the course of 2012. He also dropped Nate Marquardt inside the first round at UFC 158 which effectively put him “in the mix.”
For everything good Ellenberger did in the lead up to becoming a top-tier talent, he’s completely ruined that with his performances in big-time fights.
Against both MacDonald and Lawler, Ellenberger landed virtually no offense in the early goings. The seconds ticked by, then minutes went by without Ellenberger landing even a significant strike.
Maybe we’re seeing another Kenny Florian-like situation play out? Ellenberger is clearly game enough to feast on the mid-range welterweights, but he falters mightily when the bright lights of expectation turn on.
It’s one thing to be an elite fighter and simply have an off night, but Ellenberger isn’t an elite fighter right now. I’m not sure what the issue is, either. If he had been injured with a broken hand or rib that’s one thing, but it looks like Ellenberger has hit a mental wall with no way to get past it.
He’s not a young fighter anymore, so he should have the mental tools to work past that. Unfortunately for Ellenberger, those opportunities are coming against some of the best welterweights in the world.
Hopefully the UFC helps him out by giving him someone on the lower end of the welterweight spectrum to help get his confidence back. It’s been two bad nights at the office for Ellenberger, hopefully he doesn’t have a third or we may be talking about one of the biggest wastes of potential in recent UFC history.
UFC 173 lit up Memorial Day weekend on Saturday night, offering a solid night of fights for MMA fans looking for their fix.
TJ Dillashaw shocked the world with not only a win but also a pure domination of Renan Barao, Daniel Cormier officially staked h…
UFC 173 lit up Memorial Day weekend on Saturday night, offering a solid night of fights for MMA fans looking for their fix.
TJ Dillashaw shocked the world with not only a win but also a pure domination of Renan Barao, Daniel Cormier officially staked his claim to the top of the 205-pound division and Robbie Lawler showed that he’s still the contender to beat at welterweight going forward.
All in all, it was not a bad way to spend an evening. Here are the grades for those who took to the Octagon.
Jake Ellenberger and Robbie Lawler have delighted fans in the past and are legitimate title threats…but both needed a win entering UFC 173.
Ellenberger rose quickly through the welterweight ranks, but he suffered a brutal loss to Martin Kampmann and …
Jake Ellenberger and Robbie Lawler have delighted fans in the past and are legitimate title threats…but both needed a win entering UFC 173.
Ellenberger rose quickly through the welterweight ranks, but he suffered a brutal loss to Martin Kampmann and most recently suffered an ugly loss to Rory MacDonald, who froze him in place with his jab. Lawler, meanwhile, went from being a middling veteran to a resurgent title contender, but he needed to reassert his dominance after coming up just short against Johny Hendricks when they fought for the belt at UFC 171.
When they faced off, Lawler dominated Ellenberger from pillar to post before scoring an emphatic knockout in the third round on Saturday night in Las Vegas.
Jake Ellenberger Has Unlearned How to Fight
Seriously. This bout was genuinely sad to watch.
Ellenberger was an absolute killer from 2010 through 2012, scoring huge knockouts over enduring names like Mike Pyle and Jake Shields. Against MacDonald, though, he seemed to be too scared to mount up an offensive effort. It was even worse here against Lawler.
While most fighters will revert back to their basest form when struggling, Ellenberger, a genuinely well-honed wrestler, couldn’t even muster up the wherewithal for a takedown. If anybody wants to declare an end to Ellenberger‘s career…I’m not going to disagree.
Robbie Lawler Is Still a Beast
Yup. Pretty straightforward right here. Lawler looked like a beast.
He stuck, he moved and he hurt Ellenberger. His punches are deadly, his knees are deadly and other things he didn’t do during the fight are also probably deadly.
With his strong takedown defense and potent striking, there isn’t a single welterweight fighter he can’t beat.
Robbie Lawler Probably Won’t Get a Title Shot Soon, Though
Yeah, he looked great, but I’d be shocked if he got another shot at the belt anytime soon. That’s unfortunate, of course, since he was so dominant here, but the fact of the matter is that he is playing to a very small crowd.
On top of that, he likely (wrongly) absorbs some of the blame for the relatively weak UFC 171 buyrate. With the UFC desperately seeking new stars, it’s probably going to be more likely to go all-in on TyronWoodley or MacDonald. Hell, it could even go for the winner of Dong Hyun Kim vs. Hector Lombard to help the UFC secure its footing in South Korea or Central America.
Either way, Lawler is left out in the cold.
Jake Ellenberger Needs to Rediscover His Wrestling
Edmond Tarverdyan, best known for coaching Ronda Rousey and generally managing her entire team during The Ultimate Fighter season 18, was working Ellenberger‘s corner for this fight. While he didn’t do anything bad as a cornerman, Ellenberger‘s current training model clearly isn’t cutting it.
He needs to get back to his wrestling. Plain and simple. Since getting cracked by Kampmann, he has become an awkward power puncher and little else.
Ellenberger has the tools to win against high-level competition. I’m sure he does. He just needs to go find them again.
I’ll start with the good news: Tonight’s UFC 173: Barao vs. Dillashaw pay-per-view features two of the UFC’s greatest talents — bantamweight champion Renan Barao and undefeated light-heavyweight contender Daniel Cormier — and seeing those guys in action might be worth the PPV cost in itself. True, Barao and Cormier are both competing in lopsided odds-mismatches that are bordering on indefensible, but why focus on the negative?
In addition to “The Baron” defending his 135-pound title against Team Alpha Male standout TJ Dillashaw, and Cormier looking to earn a title shot with a win over legendary slugger Dan Henderson, tonight’s card will feature a high-level welterweight bout between Robbie Lawler and Jake Ellenberger (who are both coming off losses). Plus, Takeya “Teriyaki” Mizugaki and Francisco Rivera will attempt to build on their win streaks in the bantamweight division, and Jamie Varner kicks off the broadcast against fellow fan-friendly lightweight James Krause.
BG will be sticking round-by-round updates from the UFC 173 main card after the jump beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for the latest updates, and follow us on twitter for extra analysis and yuk-yuks. Thanks for coming.
I’ll start with the good news: Tonight’s UFC 173: Barao vs. Dillashaw pay-per-view features two of the UFC’s greatest talents — bantamweight champion Renan Barao and undefeated light-heavyweight contender Daniel Cormier — and seeing those guys in action might be worth the PPV cost in itself. True, Barao and Cormier are both competing in lopsided odds-mismatches that are bordering on indefensible, but why focus on the negative?
In addition to “The Baron” defending his 135-pound title against Team Alpha Male standout TJ Dillashaw, and Cormier looking to earn a title shot with a win over legendary slugger Dan Henderson, tonight’s card will feature a high-level welterweight bout between Robbie Lawler and Jake Ellenberger (who are both coming off losses). Plus, Takeya “Teriyaki” Mizugaki and Francisco Rivera will attempt to build on their win streaks in the bantamweight division, and Jamie Varner kicks off the broadcast against fellow fan-friendly lightweight James Krause.
BG will be sticking round-by-round updates from the UFC 173 main card after the jump beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for the latest updates, and follow us on twitter for extra analysis and yuk-yuks. Thanks for coming.
UFC 173 preliminary card results
– Michael Chiesa def. Francisco Trinaldo via unanimous decision (30-26 x 2, 30-27)
– Tony Ferguson def. Katsunori Kikuno via TKO, 4:06 of round 1
– Chris Holdsworth def. Chico Camus via unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
– Mitch Clarke def Al Iaquinta via technical submission (D’arce choke), 0:57 of round 2
– Vinc Pichel def. Anthony Njokuani via unanimous decision (30-27 x 2, 29-28)
– Sam Sicilia def. Aaron Phillips via unanimous decision (29-28 x 2, 30-27)
– Li Jingliang def. David Michaud via split-decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
Joe Rogan throws his jacket on, signaling the transition from free prelims to fancy pay-per-view broadcast. Wait, did he just call Fedor Emelianenko “the greatest heavyweight ever” during a discussion about Dan Henderson? Does the UFC dock him 20% of his purse for that?
Jamie Varner vs. James Krause
Krause is a full six inches taller than Varner, and has a 3.5″ reach advantage. Varner is showing off his new hipster haircut tonight.
Round 1: Varner jabbing to Krause’s body. Krause using his long legs to tag Varner low. Krause lands a front kick to the face, followed by a pair of sharp punches. Varner falls to the mat after another striking exchange; there might be something wrong with his ankle, which appears swollen. He manages to get to his feet, and bounces around. Varner shoots in for a takedown and gets it, but Krause reverses him and gets on top. Now Varner reverses and lands shots from the top. He tries to take Krause’s back but Krause gets up and out. Krause kicks at Varner’s damaged ankle. He lands again and Varner drops to the mat and turtles. Krause lets him up and continues to attack the leg. Varner keeps swinging; gotta respect the heart of Varner. One more shot and Varner hits the mat again. Krause dives on as the round ends.
And it’s all over. Varner tells his corner that his ankle is broken and they call it off. The replays show that yep, Varner rolled his ankle in multiple disgusting ways. If I find a GIF of it, I’ll pass it along.
James Krause def. Jamie Varner via TKO (injury), 5:00 of round 1.
Takeya Mizugaki vs. Francisco Rivera
Round 1: Rivera lands a hard left hook right away. Then a straight right that lands. Rivera slipping punches well and returning fire. Both guys trading heavy shots. Mizugaki rocks Rivera during a striking exchange and Rivera falls to the mat. Mizugaki jumps on and tried to finish but Rivera keeps his wits about him and controls Mizugaki’s body, slowing his attack. Rivera gets to his feet and ends up with his back against the fence. Mizugaki with a knee to the body. Rivera trips Mizugaki to the mat. Mizugaki pops up and they separate. They clinch and move to the fence. Rivera with some knees in close, and a takedown, but Mizugaki escapes and swings wildly at Rivera as the round ends.
Round 2: Rivera opens with a leg kick. Rivera lands a question-mark kick upside Mizugaki’s head. Mizugaki shoots for a takedown and Rivera grabs a guillotine and drops to the mat. Mizugaki waits it out and escapes. Mizugaki lands a big punch from the top, as Rivera is stuck sitting against the fence. Another punch from Mizugaki, who then transitions to Rivera’s back. Mizugaki looking for the rear-naked, but isn’t working too hard for it. Mizugaki softening Rivera up with short punches to the body and head. The round ends.
Round 3: Body kick Rivera. Both guys land in boxing exchanges. Mizugaki doing well with counter punches. Mizugaki floors Rivera with a straight right as Rivera throws a kick, and Mizugaki gets on top. Mizugaki throwing some punches here and there; Rivera seems content to play defense. Joe Rogan wonders if Rivera came into the fight sick or injured; that’s how unimpressive he’s looking. The ref stands ‘em. Both guys swinging for the fences. Rivera eats a hard one. Last 30 seconds. Lots of haymakers, none landing cleanly. Both guys whip their arms around at the air until the last horn ends.
Takeya Mizugaki def. Francisco Rivera via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27 x 2)
Robbie Lawler vs. Jake Ellenberger
Ellenberger comes out to Coolio’s “Gangster’s Paradise.” (Seriously.) Robbie comes out to Weird Al’s “Amish Paradise.” Just kidding, but damn, that would be epic.
Round 1: Lawler lands a hard left head kick to start the fight…and another. Then one to the body. Another high kick. Ellenberger chases and Lawler sticks a left hand while retreating. Lawler throws the high kick again. Lawler lands a knee to the body. Ellenberger whiffs an uppercuts. He comes in with a hook, Lawler fires a high kick. Lawler lands some hard punches as Ellenberger moves in. Body shot from Ellenberger, Lawler fires the high kick, and one more at the horn. 10-9 Robbie.
Round 2: Ellenberger comes in and swings a big right hand, Lawler throws a kick, lands some punches. Lawler with a nice knee against the fence. Lawler stalking forward and stinging Ellenberger with punches. Ellenberger shoots in, grabs Lawler around the waist, and half-lands a head kick as Lawler shakes out. Lawler with a straight left. And another. Lawler battering Ellenberger with power punches. Ellenberger shoots and manages to get a takedown. Lawler smiles and reverses the position, just like that. Lawler firing punches at Ellenberger’s head. Lalwer lands a knee to Ellenberger’s face as Jake gets up. Ellenberger scores another takedown and fires down an elbow, but Lawler easily kicks out and gets up. Front kick and punches from Lawler. They clinch on the fence and the round ends. 10-9 Lawler again.
Round 3: Lawler with a perfectly timed knee as Ellenberger comes in. But then Ellenberger storms forward with a series of power punches that have Lawler on his heels. Lawler scores with a knee and a sharp jab that snaps Ellenberger’s head back. Ellenberger is nursing his right hand, which might have been injured during his barrage of punches. Ellenberger with a body kick. Lawler sticks the jab. Sharp 1-2 from Lawler. Another punch and Ellenberger winces, squints. He might have taken a shot straight to the eye. Lawler blasts in with a knee to Ellenberger’s face, hitting him in the same damn eye, and Ellenberger crumples to the mat. He’s done. Lawler fires punches down until the ref jumps in.
Robbie Lawler def. Jake Ellenberger via TKO, 3:06 of round 3
Dan Henderson vs. Daniel Cormier
Cormier runs out to the cage. He wants this bad.
Round 1: Cormier opens with a left high kick. Hendo returns one to Cormier’s leg. Hendo misses on an overhand right, Cormier grabs him and rag-dolls him to the mat. I mean, it’s scary how easy that was for him. Hendo working on a weird crucifix from the bottom, but DC pulls out of it. Cormier in side control, dropping shots to Henderson’s body. Cormier tries to work to mount, but Henderson defends. He tries again and gets it for a second, but Henderson shrimps out and establishes guard. Henderson tries to kick Cormier off, Cormier dives back on, smothering Henderson on the mat. Henderson looks for a leg lock before escaping. They’re back on their feet. Cormier with a front kick. Henderson almost trips Cormier to the mat. They clinch near the fence and the round ends. 10-9 Cormier.
Round 2: Henderson jabbing, trying to set up that power right hand. He throws it, but doesn’t land. He shoots in, Cormier defends and gets on top. Cormier in side control. He transitions to back mount, Henderson scrambles away. Cormier stays on him, throwing punches to the body, elbows to Hendo’s head. Cormier roughing Hendo up, but not coming close to a stoppage yet. Henderson covering up as Cornier continues to slug him in the head. Cormier with an elbow to the ribs. Cormier beating Hendo up from every position on the ground. He holds on until the horn. The crowd boos it.
Round 3: Cormier throwing out kicks high and low, then basically throws Henderson over his head like a goddamned pro wrestler (GIF PLEASE), and kicks out Hendo’s feet when he tries to get up. Cormier back on top, scoring points with his ground and pound…but not putting Henderson away, and getting booed as a result. Cormier gets bored beating Hendo against the fence, so he pulls him away from the fence and continues to beat him. Cormier sinks his hooks for a rear-naked choke attempt, and puts Henderson face down on the mat. Cormier squeezes, and Henderson goes out before he can tap. My goodness.
Daniel Cormier def. Dan Henderson via submission (rear-naked choke), 3:53 of round 3
Cormier grabs the stick during the post-fight interview and calls out light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones, telling the champ he can’t hide from him. (“Hurry up, because I’m getting better.”) Cormier vows to take Jones down over and over again. I’d watch that. Henderson says he might compete at middleweight going forward, which isn’t a bad idea. Retiring wouldn’t be a bad idea either, but I doubt that’s in the cards.
Renan Barao vs. TJ Dillashaw
Dillashaw is a “monkey style fighter,” I guess. Neither fighter has been taken down in their UFC careers.
Round 1: Dillashaw bouncing around in Dominick Cruz-esque fashion. He lands a quick low kick, and a nice counter punch as Barao advances. Dillashaw with a head kick. Barao returns a body kick. Low kick from Dillashaw, and a big uppercut. Dillashaw tags Barao with a left hand as Barao was loading up for a kick. Barao tries a spinning kick and lands hard with a right hand. Nice switch low kick from Dillashaw. Dillashaw ducks under a Barao punch and scores with a pair of punches. Inside leg kick Dillashaw. Barao lands an outside leg kick. Dillashaw lands a punch that FLOORS Barao. Dillashaw swarms and Barao threatens with a leg lock, but Dillashaw shakes out and jumps on Barao’s back, looking for a neck crank. Barao escapes and Dillashaw fires a head kick as the round ends. Wow. That was a 10-9 for Dillashaw (!?), close to a 10-8.
Round 2: Barao keeping Dillashaw at bay with front kicks. Barao lands a punch and a knee. Okay, he’s back in the fight. Dillashaw is cut near his right temple. Dillashaw lands a sharp right, and Barao gives two right back. Barao lands a nice counter as Dillashaw charges in. Dillashaw with a leg kick, and a high kick that’s caught. Good punches from Dillashaw. Barao misses a spinning back kick but lands a follow-up right hand. Dillashaw shoots, and almost gets Barao to the mat, but Barao springs up. Barao kicks Dillashaw directly in the cup, and Dillashaw needs a break. He’s back in after a minute. Dillashaw still throwing with speed and power. He drills Barao with a right straight. They trade kicks. Body kick Dillashaw. Inside leg kick Barao. Barao lands a series of head-punches. Dillashaw digs a hook to the body. Dillashaw fires punches to the head and body as the round ends. Another 10-9 for Dilly.
Round 3: Both guys still keeping a crazy fast pace in round three. Dillashaw dodges a front kick and reappears behind Barao to punish him with punches. They trade low kicks. Barao misses a high kick. Dillashaw with a body kick, but eats a counter punch. Dillashaw lands a punch, a head kick, another punch. Barao is getting bombed on. He fires a body kick, not out of it yet. Another body kick. Dillashaw with a switch kick to the leg, and a burst of punches behind it. Great head kick from Dillashaw. Dillashaw might have been kicked in the balls again, but he slaps fists with Barao and continues fighting. Dillashaw unloads on Barao against the fence. Barao looks shaky on his feet. Oddly, Dillashaw decides to clinch instead of firing more punches, and the round expires. 10-9 Dillashaw.
Round 4: Dillashaw goes for a single-leg right off the bat. He lands his reliable left head kick. Dillashaw attacking with punches and lands a hard body kick. Dillashaw with a nasty left hand and another kick. Barao misses a spinning back kick and Dillashaw makes him pay with counter punches. Barao lands a good punch in a striking exchange, but Dillashaw resets and goes back to his domination on the feet. They clinch against the fence. Barao rolls out, but slips during a firefight and Dillashaw gets on top of him. Barao tries to grab a leg when he gets a chance, but no dice. Elbows from the top from Dillashaw. There’s the horn. It’s 4-0 Dillashaw going into round 5. One more, and he’ll earn one of the most unexpected shutouts in UFC history.
Round 5: Both guys jabbing. Hook to the body from Barao, Dillashaw returns a kick to the body. Barao misses his spinning kick again, and Dillashaw pops him. Sharp leg kick from Dillashaw. More Cruz-esque footwork from TJ, and Barao is baffled. Dillashaw dodges a series of punches like a damn white Anderson Silva. He lands a head kick, follows it up with a storm of punches, and Barao is on his back after eating a point-blank left straight. Dillashaw jumps all over Barao, raining down right hands until the ref jumps in. Absolutely crazy. TJ Dillashaw is the new UFC bantamweight champion, and Renan Barao never had a chance.
TJ Dillashaw def. Renan Barao via TKO, 2:26 of round 5
Joe Rogan calls it the greatest performance he’s ever seen. Without a doubt, we just witnessed something special. Did anybody give TJ a chance here? Dillashaw came out of nowhere and became an elite-level world-beater in a single night. Good for him. He believed in himself even if few others did.
Not that long ago people were talking about Jake Ellenberger.
They were saying good things, too.
He’d won six in a row in the UFC. Most of those were knockouts. He almost beat Carlos Condit before that streak started.
He was also in his mid-20s with wr…
Not that long ago people were talking about Jake Ellenberger.
They were saying good things, too.
He’d won six in a row in the UFC. Most of those were knockouts. He almost beat Carlos Condit before that streak started.
He was also in his mid-20s with wrestling and raw power in spades, and he looked like a guy who was coming into his own at exactly the right time. Tools like those and the experience to know how to use them, and it was only a matter of time before The Juggernaut was in the title hunt.
Even despite a setback at the hands of Martin Kampmann, a couple of impressive wins later and he was back on track. By the middle of 2013 many felt he was a fight away from reaching the top of the contendership heap.
Then that fight happened and he really, really wasn’t.
Ellenberger’s bout with Rory MacDonald was Exhibit A in the case against letting fighters know the stakes before they enter a big event. The two welterweights knew that a win could net them a crack at gold, and as a result they paired off in one of the most uninspired, uninspiring, tepid performances the sport has ever seen.
There has unquestionably been more electricity between competitive dance partners than there was that night in the Octagon. Probably more violence, too.
It resulted in a verbal beatdown from Dana White, whose eloquent accuracy in assessing the fight amounted to: “That fight sucked so bad.” It also resulted in a behind-closed-doors lashing of Ellenberger, who fights for the first time since that fateful night.
So the question becomes: Is this the last crack at the top of the heap for Ellenberger? Is Saturday night the last chance he’ll have to prove he can be champion of a division more wide-open than it’s ever been?
There’s no clear answer, but history suggests it could be.
Fresh off of his 29th birthday and with considerable mileage already on his body thanks to a career approaching 40 fights, it’s now or never in a sport that isn’t forgiving to those who don’t seize the day.
Ellenberger is in his fistic prime, positioned on the fringe of the elite and poised to jump further into the fray. A win over Robbie Lawler at UFC 173 does that—shows he’s as entitled as anyone to a crack at Johny Hendricks.
A loss, however, does the exact opposite. It puts him squarely in no man’s land, a hurdle for mid-range contenders and an afterthought for the men who are seriously chasing the title.
With a division as dynamic as a GSP-less 170-pound class, that’s the nature of the beast going forward. You’re either out there proving you’re worthy of a spot on the marquee, or you’re being used to prove that someone else is. Ellenberger is in neither spot today, but he’ll be firmly entrenched in one of them by tomorrow.
So is this his last grasp at the top of the division?
It’s hard to believe it, but it very well could be. He’s in a shark tank and losing two straight to contenders universally considered ahead of him in the rankings could make for a major slide in his divisional positioning.
Those are career-defining stakes, the stakes of mapping out how the rest of one’s life will look in his sport of choice.
Luckily for Ellenberger the power is, both literally and figuratively, in his hands. Understanding that and channeling it in the right direction will provide the answer he’s looking for.
Jake Ellenberger is pumped up and excited to get back to work.
The Team Reign fighter will square off with recent title challenger and resurgent veteran Robbie Lawler this Saturday night in one of the most highly anticipated bouts on the card at UFC 17…
Jake Ellenberger is pumped up and excited to get back to work.
The Team Reign fighter will square off with recent title challenger and resurgent veteran Robbie Lawler this Saturday night in one of the most highly anticipated bouts on the card at UFC 173.
The stylistic matchup between the welterweight staples will feature two of the division’s heaviest hitters as they step in to determine who will take a step forward in the title hunt and who will be reshuffled back into the competitive deck at 170 pounds.
An Omaha native, Ellenberger came to the UFC in 2009 on a mission to get his hands on championship gold and has spent the past five years battling his way up the ladder in what is arguably the most talent-rich division in the organization.
“The Juggernaut” has found success in eight of his 11 showings under the UFC banner and solidified himself as a major player in the welterweight fold in the process.
However, mixed martial arts is a sport in which momentum can be stopped cold, and Ellenberger is no stranger to dealing with pitfalls.
He had a six-fight winning streak snapped by Martin Kampmann back in 2012 in a bout that had the potential to catapult him to the front of the line in the welterweight title hunt.
Ellenberger would rebound in proper fashion, as he collected back-to-back victories over Jay Hieron and Nate Marquardt, respectively, before suffering a unanimous-decision loss to Rory MacDonald at UFC on Fox 8 last July.
Nevertheless, the Rafael Cordeiro-trained fighter is determined to turn his title dreams into reality and his upcoming bout with Lawler could very well yield a championship opportunity.
“Ruthless” is coming off a bout against Johny Hendricks at UFC 171 back in March that put his stock at an all-time high due to the gritty, nonstop attack he launched at “Bigg Rigg.”
While Lawler came out on the losing end of the split decision on the judges’ scorecards, his high-powered performance put him in a position where he could potentially be one win away from another title shot.
With Ellenberger having won two of his last three outings and the avenue to the next title shot at 170 wide-open, the showdown between two of the welterweight division’s heaviest hitters could be the tilt that produces the next No. 1 contender.
That is what Ellenberger has in his mind heading into the tilt with Lawler, and it has him fired up for their throwdown in Las Vegas.
“I’ve had zero problems with my motivation to fight Robbie Lawler,” Ellenberger told Bleacher Report. “When people are saying this could be the No. 1 contender fight and a win will get me a title shot, you don’t need much more motivation than that. When those things are at stake, the path couldn’t be more clear and the work—every hard session in the gym and every moment of preparation—is all going toward that one ultimate goal. It would be impossible not to get motivated for a fight like this.
“It’s kind of funny because Robbie and I were both managed by Monte Cox for many years. We’ve known one another since 2004. We’ve trained together before—granted, it was a long time ago—but we are familiar with one another. He’s a very tough guy and has been on top for awhile. I definitely did not hesitate when the UFC offered me the fight and I know Dana [White] and Lorenzo [Fertitta] were extremely excited to put it together. Everyone always says how good certain fights look on paper, but I don’t see how this fight can’t be exciting for the fans.”
There are other high-profile matchups on the card at UFC 173, but the bout between Ellenberger and Lawler is one fight fans have been locked on since it was announced back in April.
Both men have proven ability to separate an opponent from their consciousness and have done so on multiple occasions with a single strike. When fighters who specialize in putting the opposition away step into the cage to handle business, it is a near-guarantee for excitement—and this fight certainly registers in that category.
While Ellenberger is fully aware of the dangers Lawler will present inside the Octagon, he believes he’s ready for anything that may come his way.
The Marine turned mixed martial artist has done everything in his power to prepare for his scrap with the savvy veteran and has every intention of seizing the moment when the cage door closes this Saturday night.
“I’m confident in my skills,” Ellenberger said. “Robbie is a dangerous guy, but he knows I’m dangerous as well. If I land a clean punch, his night is over. It works both ways. We’ve been working on a few specific things for this fight I’m very excited about and we’ve been at them every single night in sparring. It’s going to be interesting to see how he addresses those things and how he chooses to engage with me.
“I’ve always looked at myself and thought I was one fight away from the best fight of my life,” he added. “You look at a guy like Robbie who just fought for the title and I’m sure he’s getting paid well. Why wouldn’t he want to fight again? He’s going to rely on his power because he always has and look to continue using the weapons he’s had success with in the past. But I know he’s not working as hard as I am. I know he’s not doing the little things that I’ve been doing.
“It really comes down to who wants it more. I have a sign posted on my mirror that says ‘Who wants it more?’ and I see it every morning while I’m brushing my teeth. I start my day looking at that question and it is honestly the only question. Who wants it more? I know I want it more than him and it is going to show on Saturday night.”
Duane Finley is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Remember the days when Jake Ellenberger was one of the more feared fighters at 170 pounds? It appears Mr. Ellenberger himself has forgotten that as well.
