Joe Ellenberger joins twin brother in UFC
The Ellenbergers will be the latest set of brothers to compete in the UFC octagon.
Joe Ellenberger, the twin brother of UFC welterweight contender Jake Ellenberger, has signed a four-fight deal with the organization, the lightweight announced via Twitter. A UFC official subsequently confirmed the signing.
The 28-year-old Nebraskan, who’s competed with Midwest promotions such as Titan FC and Victory FC, owns a 14-1 record with 12 stoppages. Most recently, he knocked out former Strikeforce fighter Joe Wilk, who was on a 7-1 run, in December 2012.
In that same month, MMAjunkie’s Ben Fowlkes told the story of Ellenberger and his rare condition, an acquired rare blood disease called paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) that destroys the body’s red blood cells.
Ellenberger got the news when he was 24. In a cruel twist of fate, UFC matchmaker Joe Silva – unaware of the fighter’s condition – called to offer him a contract just weeks after the initial diagnosis. Ellenberger, of course, was forced to turn it down, and he sat out of competition from 2009 to 2011, thinking he’d never be able to fight again.
However, after seeing a specialist and getting a new drug called Soliris (which costs $440,000 per year, making it the most expensive drug in the world, according to Forbes Magazine), Ellenberger soon made a remarkable recovery. He was able to train again, and eventually, he got the itch to fight again. He ultimately got medical clearance, and since his 2011 return, he’s gone 4-1. The lone loss came via decision to Justin Salas, whom the UFC signed immediately afterward.
Ellenberger is a former high school state wrestling champion and two-time NCAA Division II All-American wrestler. However, of his 12 stoppages wins, eight have come via knockout.
A debut hasn’t been set.
