NEW ORLEANS – While fast-rising welterweight contender Jake Ellenberger (25-5 MMA, 5-1 UFC) needed just 53 seconds to dispatch of recent UFC title challenger Jake Shields (26-6-1 MMA, 1-2 UFC), it was hardly the easiest victory of his career.
In fact, Ellenberger said, it was quite difficult to put aside his compassion for Shields, whose father passed away just three weeks prior to Saturday night's UFC Fight Night 25 meeting.
But Ellenberger did exactly that, netting his fifth-consecutive UFC win. Now the 32-year-old has his sights set on the top of the division and is confident he could provide a stern test for the winner of an upcoming UFC 137 title fight between current champion Georges St-Pierre and top contender Carlos Condit.
"I think I match-up well with Carlos and GSP," Ellenberger said at Saturday night's post-event press conference, which took place at New Orleans' Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. "I've gotten a lot better since [Condit and I] fought."
It's hard to argue against Ellenberger, who has now racked up wins over Shields, Sean Pierson, Carlos Eduardo Rocha, John Howard and Mike Pyle since dropping a controversial 2009 bout to Condit via split decision.
The competition has heightened with each passing fight, but Ellenberger said Saturday night's fight was one of the most difficult because of the need to put aside his emotional support of Shields in favor of the type of aggression needed to score such an impressive TKO win.
"That's the hard part," Ellenberger told
MMAjunkie.com (
www.mmajunkie.com). "I know he's going through such a tough time. It is hard. No matter what you do and say, it's really hard to push that aside and compete. But I do feel for him. Outside of fighting, I feel for him. I respect him. But when you get in there, it's our job to fight, and that's what we do."
Ellenberger wasted little time pressuring Shields in the opening round of their UFC Fight Night 25 main-event contest. Pushing forward from the opening bell, Ellenberger blasted Shields with a crushing knee and then followed up with a brutally quick and powerful ground-and-pound attack, forcing the stoppage and leaving his opponent in a dazed heap on the floor.
Ellenberger, who said he felt confident heading into the biggest bout of his career, said even he was surprised how quickly the fight ended.
"I definitely could see myself winning this fight," Ellenberger said. "Coming into this fight, I had a lot of confidence with my training and coaches, as well. But not that quick.
"It all happened so fast, but I was ready. I trained hard for this fight, and I was ready."
Ellenberger, who Shields had briefly disrespected when the contest was first announced by implying he wasn't even sure who his opponent was, declined to return any salvos post-fight. Instead, Ellenberger offered his condolences to Shields and offered appreciation for his willingness to fight despite his personal struggles.
"I feel for him; I really do," Ellenberger said. "Family is the most important thing in the world.
"I do have a lot of respect for Jake Shields. He took this fight going through something like that. It shows the professional that he is. It really does. I've got to respect that."
And while Shields has now dropped two-straight fights and will have to rebuild his career when he's done mourning his personal loss, Ellenberger is a man on the rise. The UFC 137 co-feature sees B.J. Penn face Nick Diaz, and the winner will have a nice case in claiming a title shot. However, Ellenberger wouldn't seem to be too far behind.
Ellenberger refused to speculate, suggesting only that he'll listen to his bosses' orders.
"Whoever the UFC asks me, I'll fight," Ellenberger said. "I'll keep working my way up until I get my title shot."
With a "Knockout of the Night" win over the man even St-Pierre couldn't finish in 25 minutes, that time may not be long.
