About Jake Ellenberger
When he faced rising star Jake Ellenberger at UFC Fight Night 25, Jake Shields was regarded as one of the best ground fighters in the business and a mighty difficult guy. But it was clear that an upset was coming when Ellenberger easily avoided Shields’ initial clinch attempt. Ellenberger then quickly delivered some inside knees that left his opponent woozy on the ground. After a few blows, it was all over.
Shields had already been defeated, and Ellenberger had made it clear that he was a legitimate welterweight contender. This is Ellenberger’s narrative.
- Date of Birth: Jacob Steven Ellenberger was born on March 28, 1985, in Omaha, Nebraska.
- Training Camp, Fighting Organization, and Weight Class: Ellenberger trains out of Premiere Combat Center. He fights for the UFC in their welterweight division.
- Martial Arts Background: Ellenberger attended the University of Nebraska Omaha where he studied psychology. He also served as an assistant wrestling coach there for three years.
Brother Joe Ellenberger
Joe, Jake’s brother, has PNH, an acquired genetic mutation that is not hereditary and is not contagious. It is a condition that affects red blood cells, frequently leading to life-threatening blood clots and organ damage. Joe uses Soliris, the most expensive prescription medication in the world, according to Forbes Magazine, for this condition (see UFC profile for more information).
Joe and Jake had always envisioned themselves as the first brothers to hold a UFC title belt. Joe had competed as an All American wrestler in Division 2.
Beginnings of MMA
On April 9, 2005, Ellenberger made his MMA debut at AFC 1: Takedown, taking down Cameron Wells via first-round TKO. He actually started off his career 12-0 until losing to MMA veteran Jay Hieron in his IFL debut on June 3, 2006.
Initially the UFC
When he was given the opportunity in the UFC on September 16, 2009, against former WEC champion Carlos Condit, Ellenberger was 21-4 as a professional. He was defeated in the fight by a narrow, hotly contested split decision. Since then, high caliber competitors such as Mike Pyle (TKO) and Jake Shields have been defeated by Ellenberger in the UFC (KO).
Combative Style
Ellenberger is, first and foremost, a very skilled wrestler. He has strong ground control, takedown defense, and takedown abilities. He is a man of great strength as well. However, Ellenberger’s quick and strong striking is what makes him most noticeable in MMA. He moves with a ferocity and speed that appears to genuinely stun adversaries.
Ellenberger is not particularly well-known for fighting in submission. He is, nevertheless, incredibly challenging to subdue or halt.
