Tag: UFC Fight Night 25

UFC Fight Night 25: Is Jake Ellenberger GSP’s Biggest Nightmare?

In the ultra-competitive world of mixed martial arts, there are two types of competitors.There are athletes that are content with playing it safe and winning on points and then there are fighters who are not satisfied until they have ruthlessly destroy…

In the ultra-competitive world of mixed martial arts, there are two types of competitors.

There are athletes that are content with playing it safe and winning on points and then there are fighters who are not satisfied until they have ruthlessly destroyed their opposition in every way imaginable.

UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre is undeniably the best athlete in the sport today. St-Pierre has defended his championship six times since regaining the title in 2007.

With every defense, the champion has been dominant but, excluding B.J Penn’s corner throwing in the towel for a TKO stoppage at UFC 94, St-Pierre has not finished any of his challengers.

St-Pierre is the epitome of a great athlete but he is not the most dangerous man in the welterweight division.

After tonight, that title rests firmly around the waist of Jake Ellenberger. Not the UFC title, not yet at least, but the title of the division’s deadliest finisher.

At UFC Fight Night 25, it took Ellenberger a mere 53 seconds to do something that a 185-pound Dan Henderson couldn’t even do with his trademark “H-Bomb” (the very same “H-Bomb” that took Fedor Emelianenko out) and that was finish Jake Shields.

Surely a case can be made that Shields was not in the right frame of mind heading into the fight. He had just lost his father two weeks prior to the bout and instead of dropping out of the fight like most would, the valiant competitor decided to soldier on.

That, however, doesn’t discredit what Ellenberger did tonight because Shields likely would have been victorious if he competed against any other fighter in the division apart from those ranked in the top five.

Ellenberger is a welterweight destroyer with heavyweight punching power. Since bursting onto the UFC scene in 2009, the Omaha, Neb. native has finished four out of six fights and has done so in vicious fashion.

His lone Octagon defeat was a somewhat controversial split decision loss to current No. 1 contender Carlos Condit at UFC Fight Night 19.

That fight was Ellenberger’s Octagon debut and on numerous occasions he came close to adding Condit to his list of finished victims.

At UFC 137, Condit will challenge St-Pierre for the title and Ellenberger isn’t far away from facing the winner. Condit is certainly a threat to the champion but Ellenberger is St-Pierre’s true nightmare.

St-Pierre should, in all likelihood, be able to put Condit on his back and do what he has done in all of his recent title defenses, grind out a decision. He won’t have the same luxury with Ellenberger and if you find that statement to be absurd you will be proven wrong soon enough.

In addition to his powerful striking arsenal, Ellenberger is also regarded for being one of the most explosive wrestlers in the entire sport.

Of course, St-Pierre has out-wrestled fighters with far superior NCAA credentials than Ellenberger in the past, but that doesn’t guarantee that Ellenberger will suffer the same fate.

Just the opposite is true because Ellenberger is much quicker than any wrestling-based fighter that St-Pierre has ever competed against.

Ellenberger is that frightening matchup for St-Pierre that was previously thought to be non-existent. In the video packages for St-Pierre’s last few fights, the UFC has hyped his challengers as legitimate threats even though it was clear that they were outmatched even before the fights began.

This is a different circumstance. This isn’t fight-hype, this is real. Ellenberger is a fighter that you can actually believe would hurt St-Pierre and put the untouchable champion in danger. If it took Ellenberger just 53 seconds to put Shields away, imagine what he would be able to do to St-Pierre in a 25 minute title fight.

A former United States Marine, Ellenberger comes to fight whereas St-Pierre just simply comes to win. There’s nothing wrong with St-Pierre’s approach, but in a kill or be killed environment, Ellenberger would survive where St-Pierre would falter.

St-Pierre excels at dictating the pace of his fights, but when he is unsuccessful at doing just that, he crumbles. It has been a very long time since we’ve seen St-Pierre hurt or even frustrated for that matter and it’s very possible we will see him in both situations against Condit, but with Ellenberger it would be a guarantee.

No disrespect to Condit, but Ellenberger is the man to put an end to St-Pierre’s dominant reign as welterweight champion. When St-Pierre tosses and turns in his sleep, he’s thinking about Ellenberger’s knockout power.

For his sake, hopefully the nightmare doesn’t come true.

Mitch Ciccarelli is the sexiest columnist in MMA. In addition to being the longest running featured columnist in B/R MMA history and being the host of the edgy podcast MMA Mass Debation, Ciccarelli is also currently serving in the United States Air Force. Follow him on Twitter @mitchciccarelli.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

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 25 Results: Questions Answered and Lessons Learned

UFC Fight Night 25 is finally over; the results are now in the history books. Jake Ellenberger shockingly proved to be far too much for Jake Shields, and Court McGee outlasted and out-hustled Korean prospect Dongi Yang.There were other fights that took…

UFC Fight Night 25 is finally over; the results are now in the history books. Jake Ellenberger shockingly proved to be far too much for Jake Shields, and Court McGee outlasted and out-hustled Korean prospect Dongi Yang.

There were other fights that took place throughout the event that were of some importance despite being lower on the card.

So what questions were answered and what lessons were learned from a seemingly inconsequential free card? Read and find out!

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)

Jake Ellenberger Surprised at Quick Finish of Jake Shields at UFC Fight Night 25

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…

Filed under: ,

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.

 

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UFC Fight Night 25 Bonuses: Jake Ellenberger Collects $55,000 for KO of Night

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…

Filed under: ,

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.

 

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