MMA-URLS

Cesar Gracie standout Jake Shields will face Ed Herman at UFC 150 in Denver. Both fighters are coming off victories in their last bouts. The UFC announced the bout yesterday. Jake Shields will be looking to start a winning streak against Herman after snapping a two-fight skid against Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 144. TUF veteran Ed Herman will be looking to extend his win-streak to four against Shields. Herman has won three in a row since returning from a horrific knee injury against Aaron Simpson. UFC 150 will take place August 11 in Denver, CO. The event is expected to be headlined by a rematch between Frankie Edgar and lightweight champion Ben Henderson. The two previously faced-off at UFC 144, an event where Ben Henderson defeated then-champion Frankie Edgar in a close decision. For more on UFC 150 and all things MMA, stay tuned to MMAFrenzy. MMAFrenzy.com

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Jake Shields will move back up to middleweight, as expected, and he'll face the red-hot Ed Herman and his three-fight winning streak at UFC 150 in August.

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After wrestling with the notion for a couple of months it looks like Jake Shields has decided to move back up to 185 pounds for his next fight after netting modest results in his recent welterweight run. Shields was only 2-2 inside the Octagon, earning decision wins against Martin Kampmann and most recently Yoshihiro Akiyama while suffering losses to Jake Ellenberger at Georges St-Pierre. Shields, who held the Strikeforce middleweight title prior to signing with the UFC, will make his return at UFC 150. The card is scheduled for August 11 in Denver, Colorado with Benson Henderson vs. Frankie Edgar II serving as the main event. News of the match-up was confirmed by UFC President Dana White via Twitter. The 27-6-1 Shields could pose significant problems for Herman given his blend of wrestling and BJJ, as five of Herman’s eight total defeats have involved some form of submission stoppage. Comparably, Shields has earned ten of his victories by forcing opponents to tap out including Mike Pyle, Paul Daley, and Robbie Lawler. He also holds past victories over Jason Miller, Yushin Okami, Carlos Condit, and Dan Henderson. Shields Talks Pros/Cons of Fighting at 185 Pounds Herman is 20-8 in his career and currently on a three-fight winning streak featuring a trio of finishes after dealing with an extended layoff due to injury. He was last seen stopping Clifford Starks with strikes in February at UFC 143. PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE Tweet

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FUEL TV’s Karyn Bryant speaks with former UFC welterweight contender Jake Shields as he mulls over his potential move back to the middleweight division.

Posted in: jake shields, shield, jake, middleweight, move

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Former UFC welterweight top contender Jake Shields is believed to be on the move to the middleweight division. However, Shields doesn’t know for sure if he will fight at middleweight next, or remain at welterweight; or, for that matter, who he’s fighting. “I’m just trying to lift a lot of weights, eating a lot, gaining [...]

Posted in: jake shields, shield, jake, ufc welterweight, middleweight division

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Former Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields talks about his potential move back up to 185 from the UFC's welterweight division, his expanded training focus and whether Nick Diaz will stay...

Posted in: jake, nick diaz, division, training, training focus

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Welterweight rankings inbound! Let us know how we did in the comments. As always, our rankings can easily be referenced on our dedicated rankings page. Welterweight Georges St-Pierre Carlos Condit Nick Diaz Johny Hendricks Jake Ellenberger Josh Koscheck Martin Kampmann Jake Shields Jon Fitch Ben Askren Photo credit: Dave Mandel/Sherdog

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Sean Pierson will look for his first win outside of his native Canada – he's 0-2 in the U.S. – when he meets Jake Hecht at UFC on FX: Johnson vs. McCall on June 8 in Florida.

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submitted by tekprodfx16 [link] [7 comments]

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That's it. I'm done eating meat. The banner that used to be on the side of MiddleEasy was just too impossible to ignore. If you clicked on the image, you were transported to a website that would make you regurgitate anything that you've eaten within a five-hour time span. I've embarked on my voyage into the land of vegetarianism, just like UFC middleweight contender Jake Shields. PETA even used the guy in an ad campaign in 2010, as well as Mac Danzig. I'm finished with meat, folks and it's all attributed to that inescapable PETA ad on MiddleEasy. By default, converting to vegetarianism should elevate my wrestling to a level that's on par with Jake Shields. Fingers crossed that I don't accidentally shove a piece of beef into my mouth before you watch this interview we grabbed with Jake Shields in Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu this past weekend.

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A trio of thrilling fights in the lighter weight classes have been verbally agreed upon for the June 1 TUF Live Finale in Las Vegas.TUF 12 champ Jonathan Brookins will take on submission specialist Charles Oliveira. Brookins looked as good as ever in his last outing, as he knocked out his opponent in the first round. And in Olivera's recent featherweight debut, he took only a few seconds longer to dispatch his opponent to earn a stunning submission win via the rarely-seen calf-crusher. Also at featherweight, tough Hawaiian Max Holloway will meet 5-1 finisher Pat Schilling. At bantamweight, TUF 14's John Albert will follow up his wild firefight against Ivan Menjivar with a bout against the well-rounded Byron Bloodworth. Season Finale Gets Main Event updated March 26Two top welterweights will wage war over five rounds in the TUF Live Finale main event, UFC president Dana White announced today.Verbal agreements are in for a June 1 matchup between Martin "The Hitman" Kampmann will take on Jake "The Juggernaut" Ellenberger.The fighters are coming off of sound wins in main events this winter - Kampmann submitted Thiago Alves in the final minute of their UFC on FX bout earlier this month, while Jake Ellenberger bested Diego Sanchez at UFC on FUEL TV in February.In past years, both men have battled a who's-who of the welterweight division, including shared opponents Carlos Condit, Jake Shields, Diego Sanchez and Rick Story. A convincing win this summer could solidify their spot on the shortlist of contenders at 170. 

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Jake Shields entered the UFC fresh off being named the Strikeforce middleweight champion. However, Shields did not remain in that division, instead opting to slide down to welterweight. After defeating Martin Kampmann, Shields earned a shot at UFC welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre. GSP defeated Shields, and Jake Ellenberger earned a KO victory over Shields in his next match, as well. Now, the California fighter is contemplating a move back to middleweight, as he told Damon Martin of MMA Weekly recently. Right now, I’m trying to bulk up and see how I feel. It’s not 100-percent, but I’m waiting to see on an opponent and then I’ll take it of course. I’m in no rush. If they call with an opponent at 85, I’d take it right now cause I’ll have enough time to bulk up. I’m not opposed to fighting at 70. If they call with a good offer for a fight at 70, then I’d take that, as well. In his last bout, Shields defeated Yoshihiro Akiyama via decision. The move to middleweight would allow Shields a clearer path to a possible title shot, along with the opportunity to not worry about cutting as much weight as he currently is. Also, Shields has talked about wanting to face UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva in the past, so there is always that gold at the end of the rainbow for him. Photo credit: Esther Lin/MMA Fighting

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Jake Shields talks about why he's considering a move back to 185lbs, and how guys like Frankie Edgar and Dan Henderson have shown cutting less weight can be a good thing.

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Former Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields will return to the division he once called home. After going 2-2 as a UFC welterweight, Shields will move back to 185 pounds later this year.

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It was announced Tuesday night on “UFC Tonight” that Jake Shields will head to the middleweight ranks for his next fight inside the Octagon. Shields competed for the UFC welterweight title, falling to Georges St-Pierre via decision. After a loss to Jake Ellenberger, Shields rebounded to defeat Yoshihiro Akiyama earlier this year. However, it seems now that the former Strikeforce middleweight champion will return to 185. During his time in the division, Shields defeated such notable fighters as Dan Henderson, Jason “Mayhem” Miller and Robbie Lawler. The 33-year-old sports a career record of 27-6-1, and could become a quick challenger in the division if he can secure a big-name fight this year. With age starting to become a factor, staying at a higher weight class should allow Shields more time to work on training and staying in condition, instead of worrying about cutting weight. Photo credit: Esther Lin/MMA Fighting

Posted in: shield, jake, georges stpierre, middleweight ranks, career record

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Former Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields will return to 185 pounds in 2012, UFC officials confirmed on Tuesday night.

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When most fighters talk about shifting weight classes, the direction is typically dropping down. Not for Jake Shields, however. He's considering a move back up to middleweight.

Posted in: jake shields, shield, jake, middleweight, weight classes

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight contender, Jake Ellenberger is inching closer to a long desired title shot. With no clear-cut number one challenger, aside from interim 170-pound champion Carlos Condit ready to unify his strap against Georges St. Pierre later this year, the former Marine has definitely made a case for himself. "The Juggernaut" has been on a tear as of late, winning six straight including victories over Jake Shields and most recently, Diego Sanchez. His only loss in the UFC came at the hands of Condit -- a rematch he so desperately wants. The two originally tangled at UFC Fight Night: "Diaz vs. Guillard" over two and half years ago and Condit squeezed out a very close split decision victory. Before Ellenberger can even think about a rematch with "The Natural Born Killer," he will have his hands full against dangerous striker Martin Kampmann as the two will face off on June 1, 2012 at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 15 Finale in a bout that will have major title implications. In his recent appearance on Pro MMA Radio, Jake talked about his road to the top of the 170-pound ladder and gave his thoughts on a future showdown against Condit, his upcoming bout against "The Hitman" and also touches on the sentiments from some mixed martial arts (MMA) fans and media that felt Sanchez would have defeated him if the bout was a five round fight. Make the jump to see for yourself: "Yeah, it's like a baseball team losing in nine innings, and they say, "Yeah well it would have went 12 then we would have won." Well, you know what? It didn't. Or if it was a wrestling match, NCAA finals, "Oh if it would have went to overtime I would have won." Really? Well, that's irrelevant. People have their opinions and I respect Diego as a fighter. That guy is a warrior, I have nothing bad to say about the guy. It's an honor to fight him and people can speculate all they want, but, trust me, I assure you that if I had to go five rounds, I could have. Was I tired? Sure, but I assure you he was just as tired as I was. You can always do so much more than you think you can. When you have to, you will. I know if I had to go five rounds I could have, I would have forced myself. That's one of the things the Marine Corp. taught me." "The Juggernaut" spoke about his close loss to current UFC welterweight interim champion, Carlos Condit and his decision to hold out for Georges. St. Pierre: "I felt I won the fight but the judges saw it the other way. There is nothing I can do about that. Here is the thing I do know, I know I can beat him and he does not want to fight me because he knows the same thing too. Me fighting Condit is out of my control right now but I'm just going to keep moving forward you know? Our job as fighters is to compete and fight when they tell us to fight. We don't choose who we fight and we don't choose when we fight, so, it is frustrating for me because I am wanting to get a rematch with Carlos Condit. But at the same time I can't control that. But I have to agree, what is the point of having an interim champ if they are not active. If the champ is not being active, then that's the point of the interim champion is to stay active and have a contender and seeing who the number one contender is, but it's out of my control, unfortunately. He knows I can beat him and there is a lot of potential of me beating him, so I don't think he wants to risk losing his interim title, which I don't even understand that but, he wants to wait for GSP." On his upcoming clash against "The Hitman:" "He is dangerous, he's got good submissions. He has beaten a lot of guys, a lot of respectable fighters. I cannot take anything away from him and definitely cannot look past him at all. But, I will win the fight by TKO in first or second round." No word on if the Ellenberger vs. Kampmann bout is a number on contender's scrap, but it is safe to assume that should Jake prevail over Martin, he will be top candidate to get next title shot. Rest assured, Ellenberger is not going to sit around and wait: "After June, I definitely want to fight at least one more time here. So, I'm not sure what is going to happen but, I'm going to keep fighting and when it's my time, I'm going to dethrone the champion, whoever it is. I just don't think it is going to be Carlos." With his hands full against Kampmann, Ellenberger has one more tough obstacle to get over, should he receive his long desired chance at obtaining UFC gold against either St. Pierre or Condit. From the sound of it, it makes no difference to him who he faces. Do you see any reason to believe Ellenberger doesn't have what it take to earn a title shot and dethrone the champion, whoever it may be? Or will the dangerous Dane derail all of his hopes and dreams in Las Vegas? Opinions, please.

Posted in: fight, jake, ellenberger, title, condit

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The UFC will sort out its welterweight contendership picture this summer when top challengers Jake Ellenberger and Martin Kampmann meet in a headlining match-up at the Ultimate Fighter 15 Finale on June 1. Both men are considered to be among the best 170-pounders in MMA and have turned in a number of impressive performances over the past few years. The bout was confirmed earlier today by the UFC. Ellenberger is currently riding a six-fight winning streak including consecutive victories over John Howard, Mike Pyle, Jake Shields, and most recently Diego Sanchez. The 27-5 Nebraskan’s only loss inside the Octagon came in his Octagon debut by way of Split Decision against interim champion Carlos Condit in a bout he took on short notice. Ellenberger Wants Condit but Happy with Kampmann While Kampmann’s unbeaten run isn’t quite as noteworthy as Ellenberger’s, the polished 29-year old is coming off back-to-back wins against Rick Story and Thiago Alves while also holding past victories over the likes of Condit and Paulo Thiago. He holds an overall record of 19-5 with fourteen finishes to his credit. No other bouts have been announced for the Ultimate Fighter 15 Finale though the event will obviously host the final fight from the current season’s crop of lightweights. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: jake, ellenberger, bout, kampmann, martin kampmann

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The UFC has set its main event for the season finale card of "The Ultimate Fighter LIVE." Martin Kampmann and Jake Ellenberger meet in a five-rounder on June 1.

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The headlining attraction for the 15th-season finale of “The Ultimate Fighter” will see Jake Ellenberger lock horns with Martin Kampmann in a five-round welterweight contest, UFC officials announced Wednesday.

Posted in: jake ellenberger, jake, fighter ”, kampmann, martin kampmann

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Jake Ellenberger and Martin Kampmann have been pegged for the main event of The Ultimate Fighter Live: Finale on June 1, UFC officials announced on Wednesday afternoon. The card will take place from the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. So far, it is the only match announced for the evening, outside of the finals in the TUF lightweight tournament. Ellenberger has won six consecutive fights since a split decision defeat at the hands of UFC interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit. Most recently, Ellenberger defeated Diego Sanchez. “The Juggernaut” also owns victories over Jake Shields, Carlos Eduardo Rocha and John Howard during his current win streak. Kampmann surprised everyone watching when he submitted Thiago Alves while down on the scorecards earlier this year. Since two losses to Sanchez and Shields, “The Hitman” has defeated Alves and Rick Story. Photo credit: Dave Mandel/Sherdog

Posted in: jake, ellenberger, kampmann, “ tuf, streak kampmann

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The UFC revealed today that welterweight contenders Jake Ellenberger and Martin Kampmann have been pitted against one another in a matchup set for The Ultimate Fighter: Live Finale. The bout will serve as the evening’s main event and, as such, will be a five rounder. Since losing a controversial decision to current UFC interim welterweight champ Carlos Condit in his UFC debut, Jake “The Juggernaut” Ellenberger (27-5) has gone on a six-fight winning streak in the promotion. Having ran through the likes of Mike Pyle and Jake Shields, Ellenberger has positioned himself near the top of the welterweight division. In his most recent outing — which went down on February 15 at UFC on Fuel TV 1 — Ellenberger survived a late surge from Diego Sanchez to defeat his opponent via unanimous decision. Dutch-born technician Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann (19-5) has been a staple in the UFC since 2006 and in the welterweight division since 2009. Along the way, he’s taken out Carlos Condit, Jacob Volkmann, Paulo Thiago, Rick Story and Thiago Alves. The Las Vegas-stationed fighter has put to bed a two-fight losing streak that saw him drop razor-thin and controversial decisions to Jake Shields and Diego Sanchez, by defeating the highly regarded Rick Story and Thiago Alves in succession. Kampmann most recently appeared in action earlier this month at UFC on FX 2 opposite Alves, rallying from a two-round deficit to submit the talented Brazilian with a hail Mary guillotine. The Ultimate Fighter: Live Finale has yet to be officially linked to a date or venue, but is expected to take place on June 1 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Posted in: ufc, jake, ellenberger, welterweight division, kampmann

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submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [6 comments]

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Tareq Azim, head trainer for UFC welterweight contender Jake Shields, talks to HeavyMMA's Duane Finley about finding success in the face of adversity and remaining confident in his cause.

Posted in: shield, jake, tareq azim, tareq, azim

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"I'm already back in the gym trying to get better. I'm pushing my standup and every element of my game to become the best fighter I can possibly be. I'm hungry and I want to go out there and take somebody out. My striking still has holes, but it has gotten a lot better. I am going to continue to work and develop my skills and I believe in the next year I'll be able to stand with the best strikers out there. I still have a little ways to go, but we have definitely made big improvements. I came so close to the title and fell short. Now I feel like I'm close again. I've beaten the current (interim) champion, Carlos Condit, and Martin Kampmann, who is a top contender right now. I know I can beat these guys, and it all depends on me working my way back up and getting my shot. I'm not sure what's next, but hopefully the UFC will give me a contender so I can get back up where I want to be." Former UFC welterweight number one contender Jake Shields, who got back into the win column against Yoshihiro Akiyama at last month's UFC 144 pay-per-view (PPV) event in Japan, is hungry to get back to the top of the 170-pound mountain, a place he's familiar with after gong five rounds at UFC 129 in a losing effort against Georges St. Pierre. Shields, who was pasted by Jake Ellenberger in September 2011, has long been criticized for his level of stand-up, but tells Heavy.com it has improved dramatically, to the point where he'll be able to stand and bang with the best strikers in the division over the next 12 months. Anyone out there think he's overstating his skill set? Or does he have the right trainers (and determination) to accomplish his goal?

Posted in: ufc, jake ellenberger, jake, im, shot im

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Jake Shields and his head trainer Tareq Azim talk to HeavyMMA's Duane Finley about Shields' recent win over Yoshihiro Akiyama, his future in the UFC and much more.

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submitted by BreakfastGuru [link] [1 comment]

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UFC welterweight title contender Jake Ellenberger talks his Diego Sanchez fight and what's next for him in the the organization.

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UFC welterweight title contender Jake Ellenberger talks his Diego Sanchez fight and what's next for him in the the

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Jake Ellenberger believes now is the perfect time for a rematch with UFC interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit, but if he's not available Martin Kampmann seems like a pretty good backup.

Posted in: jake ellenberger, jake, kampmann, martin, martin kampmann

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Jake Ellenberger believes now is the perfect time for a rematch with UFC interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit, but if he's not available Martin Kampmann seems like a pretty good backup.

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TJ Waldburger defeated Jake Hecht by submission to armbar. The stoppage came at :55 in the first round. Leg kick and left hook from TJ Waldburger. Jake Hecht threw a teep and Waldburger came forward for a takedown. Hecht attempted a japanese wizzer but Walburger threw his legs over and secured an armbar. Hecht tried rolling out but Walburger set up the submission perfectly and forced the tap out. Super impressive submission win for TJ Waldburger. Jake Hecht's arm looked jacked from the submission but he didn't show any ill effects post fight. T.J. Waldburger made a name for himself on the Texas regional scene as one of the top welterweights in the state. He is now 3-1 in the UFC and 15-6 in his MMA career. Jake Hecht entered the UFC as a 10-2 prospect and won in his UFC debut. He is now 10-3 in his MMA career and 1-1 in the UFC. SBN coverage of UFC on FX 2

Posted in: ufc, jake, tj, hecht, waldburger

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Earlier this month, veteran fighter Joe Wilk played the role of a fan, attended UFC on FUEL TV 1 in Omaha, Neb., and got chills when Jake Ellenberger entered the cage for an eventual main-event victory. As a fighter usually considered a bad guy, Wilk got a kick out of seeing the good guy. Wilk, who fights tonight at Titan Fighting Championship 21, now has a dream: becoming the Jake Ellenberger of Kansas City.

Posted in: jake ellenberger, jake, ellenberger, wilk, guy wilk

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Two men in desperate need of a victory competed last night (Feb. 25, 2012) as welterweights Jake Shields and Yoshihiro Akiyama battled it out on the UFC 144 main card in Saitama, Japan. After three straight losses, Akiyama finally caved in to outside pressure and was dropping down to 170 pounds for the first time. Unfortunately for him, cutting down a weight class wasn't enough to end his losing skid. So what was Jake Shields surprisingly able to do to pull off the victory and end his two fight losing streak? And what's next for both men? Follow me after the jump for our Jake Shields vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama UFC 144 post-fight review and analysis: While if you were simply listening to the fight without watching, it sounded like Yoshihiro Akiyama was having his way with Shields, that was far from the case. Yes, Akiyama with his solid judo background had a terrific sense of balance and ability to stay on his feet. Yes, Akiyama surprised many of the viewers by occasionally tossing Shields all over the place. But that didn't mean he won. In fact, it was the striking that was the big difference, and Jake Shields clearly was getting the better of the judoka. In fact, it wasn't even close. Keeping a fight standing for extended periods and throwing your opponent to the ground don't mean much when you don't capitalize on them and Akiyama did neither. Shields was able to pop right back to his feet after being thrown and he was handily landing a larger volume of strikes with some nice kicks mixed with some punches that were slipping through. Perhaps the fight would have been different had Akiyama turned up the offense, attempted to keep Shields on his back with ground and pound or at least landed some big power strikes, but the fact of the matter is that he didn't. And the stats back it up pretty strongly as Shields landed nearly three times as many overall significant strikes and well over twice as many overall strikes throughout the three round affair. So perhaps it wasn't as surprising afterall that Shields was awarded a unanimous decision, even if perhaps he's not as exciting as Akiyama and was only really successful on his final takedown attempt. For Yoshihiro Akiyama, despite his loss, I actually really like the move to welterweight. He's got the skill to keep a fight standing with his ridiculous balance, now he just needs to learn to better capitalize on that ability. He's got power in his stand-up but his offense is sporadic at best. He's capable of so much more and I'd like to see it. Even though he's lost four straight in the UFC, I think he still deserves one more chance considering the drop down in weight. If the UFC does decide to keep him around, I'd like to see "Sexyama" battle someone along the lines of Mike Pierce, Rick Story or perhaps he could be the man to finally welcome Mike Swick back to the UFC if he's recovering fast enough from his injury. For Jake Shields, yes, he was able to win, but again, he just left a big feeling of "meh" in the aftermath of the fight. He has yet to really impress in any of his four UFC fights. Matt Bishop pointed out that the UFC didn't use one highlight of any of his previous fights in the Octagon for his introduction during the "Face the Pain" intro to the event. Maybe it's the cut to welterweight or perhaps the leap in competition, but he just hasn't brought much excitement to his fights yet. Hopefully we get to see something more in the future. I wouldn't rule out a return to middleweight either as I feel that was where he was at his best. For future opponents, Charlie Brenneman would make a lot of sense as both men have similar styles. Other intriguing possibilities include Dong Hyun Kim or Mike Pyle. It would be nice to see an opponent really bring out that killer instinct in Shields again. So what did you think, Maniacs? Did you see Shields' ability to outstrike Akiyama or were you mesmerized by the takedown defense and pretty throws? Do you feel Akiyama deserves one last shot in the UFC? Sound off! For complete UFC 144 results, including blow-by-blow, fight-by-fight coverage of the entire event as well as immediate post-fight reaction click here, here and here.

Posted in: ufc, fight, shield, jake, akiyama

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SAITAMA -- Jake Shields got back on the winning track with a hard-fought win over new welterweight Yoshihiro Akiyama. Shields tells MMA Fighting just how much the pressure got to him before this fight, makes the case for Akiyama as a legitimate contender at 170 pounds and why he gives his performance a lukewarm grade.

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Coming off a very tough 2011, Jake Shields was determined to kick off 2012 in a much better way.

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Jake Shields defeats Yoshihiro Akiyama by Unanimous Decision. All judges scored the fight 30-27, 30-27, 30-27. Leg kick from Jake Shields to open the round. Shields failed to complete his first takedown attempt. Jake reset and dove low for a single leg and pushed Akiyama against the cage. Akiyama defended well and turned Jake against the fence. Jake Shields wildly threw punches but nothing landed significantly. Another failed takedown from Shields and Akiyama landed a massive upper cut. Jake dove for the leg but again couldn't get the fight to the ground. Akiyama's takedown defense remained strong midway through the first. Jake used knees against the cage to take Akiyama's back. Yoshihiro Akiyama turned and escaped the dangerous position. Huge judo throw from Akiyama and then a trip as Jake stood up off the scramble. The round ended with Akiyama looking for another trip. Jake Shield tried a takedown to open the second but again Akiyama defended well. Spinning back elbow from Akiyama landed cleanly. Jake with a deep shot and Akiyama stuffed it again. Jake Shields was unable to complete any takedowns halfway through the fight. Akiyama threw a high kick and Shield's caught it. He was unable to use the position to get the fight to the ground. Chopping leg kick from Akiyama turned Jake's leg. Jake came forward and was tossed by Akiyama. Jake popped right back up and had a deep takedown but again was unable to defend. He transitioned to Akiyama's back with seconds remaining in the round. The round ended with Akiyama escaping the attempt. Jake Shields pushed the action at the start of the third round. Akiyama doing well to counter but Shields is landing strikes. Jake scored on the feet with jabs and leg kicks. Akiyama not putting combinations together. Shields attempted another takedown and again Akiyama defended. Jake landing kicks and then dropped for another takedown. Shields got Akiyama down briefly but was unable to keep the fight on the ground. Jake got Akiyama's back and worked to finish the fight with a rear naked choke. Akiyama defends as the fight ends. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson

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With five consecutive losses between them, expect an air of intensity as Jake Shields and Yoshihiro Akiyama face disastrous career consequences should they come up short later tonight (Feb. 25, 2012) in their welterweight bout set for UFC 144 from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. It’s a battle of similar styles as both have solid chins and modest-at-best stand up, but Shields may have an advantage with Akiyama dropping to 170 pounds for the first time ever in his mixed martial arts (MMA) career after three straight losses at Middleweight. Shields’ shocking first-round knockout loss to heavy-handed Jake Ellenberger last September was a real setback, especially considering the tragic loss of his father just days prior to the match. Shields proved himself as one of the most consistent, elite-level fighters in the sport prior to his title-fight decision loss to Georges St. Pierre, and that consistency was underwritten with solid grappling and great gameplans. He’ll need both against Akiyama, whose quickness and athleticism will likely give Shields fits if Jake can’t dictate early. Follow me after the jump for a complete breakdown of the UFC 144 fight between Jake Shields vs Yoshihiro Akiyama: The Breakdown Shields’ mindset should be clear for this one. He needs to win first, and worrying about erasing the GSP and Ellenberger losses later. Akiyama, meanwhile, can’t help but think he’ll be cut if he loses his fourth in a row. Also, the drop to Welterweight is another dire wildcard for the Japanese battler, as a first-time weight cut almost always leaves a fighter with a reduced gas tank as he struggles to adapt to the lighter weight. A common thread in Shields’ losses to GSP and Ellenberger was that he was never able to find his range to dictate where the fight went – against Akiyama, he’s likely to have some time to think and adjust, which almost always results in Shields making tactical decisions that prove beneficial. The Pick Shields has his back to the wall here, even more so than Akiyama, considering the big-time billing the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) gave him coming from Strikeforce. He’s one of the best nuts-and-bolts grapplers you’ll find in MMA, with solid takedowns and a great guard game he rarely has to use, because he is exceptionally difficult to control and plant on the mat. Akiyama is an exciting fighter, but still seemed a bit of a ‘tweener at middle – not quite strong enough to overpower people, despite his world-class judo credentials, and not potent and heavy-handed enough on the feet to dominate a striking match. When he won, it was on energy, verve and persistence. Those aren’t going to be enough to beat Shields, who will study the angles, avoid damage on the feet, and score takedowns in the first and second rounds, where he’ll deliver intelligent ground and pound, while making Akiyama work to get up. Shields will cruise on autopilot, repeating the trick in the third, to take a comfortable, unanimous decision in a bout where neither fighter is close to being finished, but the gap between them in class is readily obvious. Shields via decision Be sure to join MMAmania.com this evening for LIVE, detailed UFC 144 results of all the "Edgar vs. Henderson" pay-per-view (PPV) action. It will include blow-by-blow coverage of the Facebook video stream, FX "Prelims" bouts, and of course, the PPV broadcast. We'll start RIGHT HERE at around 7:30 p.m. ET and carry straight on through early Sunday morning. See you later! Jason Probst can be reached at www.twitter.com/jasonprobst and at jason@jasonprobst.com.

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UFC 144 takes place later tonight at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The event airs live on pay-per-view at 10pm ET/7pm PT. The pay-per-view broadcast will be preceded by prelim specials on Facebook at 7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT and FX at 8pm ET/5pm PT. In the main event, Frankie Edgar puts his UFC lightweight title on the line against Ben Henderson. In the co-main event, Rampage Jackson returns to Japan to take on Ryan Bader. Mark Hunt meets Cheick Kongo in a heavyweight bout. Jake Shields looks to end a two-fight losing streak against Yoshihiro Akiyama. Yushin Okami faces Tim Boetsch in a middleweight match-up. Hatsu Hioki takes on Bart Palaszewski in a featherweight bout. Joe Lauzon and Anthony Pettis meet in a lightweight match-up. Results, recap and bonuses after the jump. Results Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Ryan Bader Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo Jake Shields vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama Tim Boetsch vs. Yushin Okami Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski Joe Lauzon vs. Anthony Pettis Takanori Gomi vs. Eiji Mitsuoka Vaughan Lee vs. Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto Steve Cantwell vs. Riki Fukuda Chris Cariaso vs. Takeya Mizugaki Issei Tamura vs. Tiequan Zhang Recap & Thoughts Issei Tamura vs. Tiequan Zhang: Chris Cariaso vs. Takeya Mizugaki: Steve Cantwell vs. Riki Fukuda: Vaughan Lee vs. Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto: Takanori Gomi vs. Eiji Mitsuoka: Joe Lauzon vs. Anthony Pettis: Hatsu Hioki vs. Bart Palaszewski: Tim Boetsch vs. Yushin Okami: Jake Shields vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama: Mark Hunt vs. Cheick Kongo: Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Ryan Bader: Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson: Bonuses $??? Submission of the Night: Knockout of the Night: Fight of the Night:

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Yoshihiro Akiyama will premiere as a welterweight versus dual-class juggernaut Jake Shields on the main card of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson. Yoshihiro Akiyama (13-4) is an overseas sensation and a decorated Judoka. He debuted at 185-pounds in the K-1 promotion's "Hero's" MMA series and quickly established that his combat proficiency went far beyond the art of Judo. Winning nine of his first ten matches, Akiyama unveiled a wide array of fight-finishing technique ranging from armbars, Ezekiel chokes, spinning back-kicks, a slam that segued into fierce ground-and-pound and good ol' fashioned face punching. He has been steeped in controversy on more than one occasion. Twice in Judo competition and once versus Kazushi Sakuraba in MMA, Akiyama was accused of applying a slippery substance to either his kimono or his skin. Reminiscent of Palhares vs. Marquardt, Akiyama squirted out of a few takedown attempts from Sakuraba, who then openly protested to an official in the middle of the fight, and Akiyama pounced with a flurry of ground strikes to elicit a stoppage. The TKO was later changed to a No Contest. No fault of his own, Akiyama was also nearly decapitated by a vicious kick courtesy of Kazuo Misaki. He successfully appealed the TKO loss due to the kick being illegal, resulting in a second No Contest ruling in a three-fight span. After chalking up two more submission wins in Dream, Akiyama ventured stateside and made his Octagon debut against Alan Belcher, winning a debatable split decision that many penciled in for Belcher. Three consecutive defeats would follow -- Chris Leben by triangle, Michael Bisping by decision and Vitor Belfort by KO -- inspiring his descent to 170-pounds. More UFC 144 Dissections Hunt-Kongo | Okami-Boetsch | Hioki-Palaszewski | Gomi-Mitsuoka | Yamamoto-Lee | Fukuda-Cantwell | Mizugaki-Cariaso | Zhang-Tamura Jake Shields (26-6) is a Cesar Gracie product with deeply layered submission grappling game. Now a veteran of over twelve years, Shields came up in Japan's Shooto promotion and put himself on the map by winning their middleweight strap with a stellar sequence that included upsetting the adored Hayato Sakurai. His next step toward global recognition was winning the Rumble of the Rock 175-pound tournament by defeating UFC interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit and top middleweight contender Yushin Okami on the same night. Many eyeballs were on that tournament due to big-name participants like Anderson Silva and Frank Trigg, and Shields gained a lot of respect for emerging victorious. The fun was just beginning though: including his tournament wins, Shields would go on to piece together thirteen straight and float back and forth from welterweight to middleweight while accruing championship belts in EliteXC and Strikeforce. His attainment of the latter achievement was a dramatic upset of recent UFC crossover and dual-class Pride champ Dan Henderson, who battered Shields with the infamous H-bomb in the first but was helplessly out-wrestled in the following rounds. At this point, Shields made a less than resplendent Octagon debut against Martin Kampmann and sputtered late in the fight, eking out an unimpressive split-decision. He was forwarded to a title shot against Georges St. Pierre at UFC 129 and lost a unanimous decision. On the heels of the heartbreaking passing of his father and longtime manager, Shields was knocked out for the first time since his third pro-fight in 2001 in a match with Jake Ellenberger. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson Even though he hasn't been successful on the big stage, Akiyama was a hyped prospect for good reason. He's an entirely complete fighter with excellent hands and kickboxing, a sneaky array of newaza in the clinch and smooth submissions on the mat. His cardio, chin and defense are solid and he's got a big heart as well. He also tangled with some of the UFC's toughest and best strikers in Belcher, Leben, Bisping and Belfort. Stumbling against that level of opposition hardly reflects failure or disappointment, and Akiyama could turn out to be a brute at this new weight. Being a high level Judoka, Akiyama always maintains strong balance so that he's prepared to fend off unforeseen takedown attempts. This will be a crucial attribute against Shields, who will surely be looking to swoop low and snare up a leg when Akiyama fires strikes. Getting caught in Leben's triangle did elicit concerns about his overall grappling savvy, and Shields is an elite tactician with a distinctive brand of American Jiu Jitsu that few can withstand. I can't help but envision the contest as a grappler vs. striker affair that will revolve around Akiyama's takedown defense. Shields was a two-time All American wrestler at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, California and was later offered a wrestling scholarship at San Francisco University. While more prestigious wrestling credentials abound at MMA's top level, Shields is unique in that he simultaneously discovered Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with Cesar Gracie. Only a select few MMA fighters back in the NHB era were laboring to progress wrestling in concert with BJJ; the two were more commonly opposed in competition. This unusual union and Shields decision to dive into MMA for a trial by fire would pay dividends in the future. Shields has a wicked guillotine and is basically a threat to wrench a limb or halt carotid blood flow when he's in contact range. Takedown-wise, Shields is an outright hustler with relentless determination. He excels at timing his shots when his opponent is committing to strikes and he's a master of changing angles constantly when he grabs ahold of a single. K.J. Gould's Judo Chop on Shields' grappling and takedowns is a must-read. He breaks down Jake's tendencies to the granular level and covers his pivotal fights from the past. Judo Chop: Jake Shields American Jiu Jitsu Part One | Part Two I'm partial to Shields in this match up but find the slanted odds in his favor a surprise. On paper, Akiyama's beastly Judo and polished striking could be a nightmare for Shields, who has improved his own stand up but should be over-matched in the stand up. Throw in the endurance factor -- which is a nod for Akiyama and a knock on Shields -- plus a motivated Akiyama looking to regain face in Japan, and I see this as a lot closer than the lines reflect. On the flip-side, Shields is likely burning for a win after being finished for the first time in over a decade and will be well accustomed to fighting in Japan. His chin might have to carry him through some rough spots but I expect him to persist with takedowns and score a sub or a strong decision. My Prediction: Jake Shields by submission. Shields vs. Kampmann gif via IronForgesIron.com All others via MMA-Core.com Poll Jake Shields vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama Shields Akiyama   2 votes | Results

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Jake Shields is back in action for the first time since getting quickly KO'd by Jake Ellenberger back in September. He'll be welcoming Yoshihiro Akiyama into the sharktank that is the UFC's 170 pound division, and most people are expecting him to make short work of the Japanese star. Our sister-site MMA Training has Jake Shields talking about that fight, and it also has his thoughts on how his teammate Nick Diaz did against Carlos Condit: “It was definitely a close and controversial fight,” opined Shields. “To be honest with you I really thought Nick won the fight. I don’t think you can win a fight by running for five rounds the way Condit did. The judges and Joe Rogan thought differently and although Condit landed more strikes most of them were leg kicks that inflicted little to no damage. Diaz was the aggressor and controlled the pace of the fight. It’s just one of those fights that everyone has their own opinion on. I’m not sure if he’ll fight again, he’s a good friend of mine and I certainly hope he’ll come back. He does what he wants to do and it’s is his choice. He’s young and he’s a great fighter, but he does things on his own terms.” When pushed for an opinion on if he thought Nick would return: "He's calmed down, I think he's gonna fight again. He's been a little burned out. They've been fighting him like crazy, keeping him busy. I think he needs a little break. Unfortunately he'll probably be suspended for a little while but I think the time off will make him love the sport again and make him wanna get back in there." Nothing like a year long suspension to make your heart grow fonder for the sport you've abandoned. Fortunately, Nick's pot-smoking ways seem to be his built in coping mechanism for burn-out. Every couple of years it gives him a well-earned vacation.

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Jake Shields is ready to restart things in 2012 with a win over Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 144, and then he might even go gunning for a rematch with Carlos Condit...

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Last year was one to forget for welterweight Jake Shields, but he hopes to get back on track this Saturday at UFC 144 in Japan.

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Watch Jake Shield's UFC 144 pre-fight press conference video from Tokyo, Japan.

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Yoshihiro Akiyama has lost three straight bouts, but he could be a different fighter when he meets Jake Shields on Feb. 26 at UFC 144.

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submitted by Rokusic6 [link] [1 comment]

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UFC 144 fighters Ryan Bader and Jake Shields join MMAWeekly Radio for Wednesday's show as well as MMA Uncensored host Nate Quarry and more...

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Former Strikeforce middleweight champ Jake Shields gets HeavyMMA's Megan Olivi caught up in Japan on his training before his UFC 144 bout against Yoshihiro Akiyama.

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TOKYO -- Watch below as Jake Shields talks about his UFC 144 fight against Yoshihiro Akiyama, his return to Japan, why he doesn't regret fighting Jake Ellenberger immediately following the death of his father, how he is looking past his recent losing streak, and more.

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Coming off his UFC on Fuel 1 win over Diego Sanchez, Jake Ellenberger would like a rematch with interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit.

Posted in: jake, ellenberger, rematch, condit, carlo

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Jake Ellenberger was impressive in his Feb. 15 victory over Diego Sanchez at UFC on Fuel 1, but after a difficult third round, some questioned rather he almost ran out of gas in the fight.

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The Sherdog Radio Network goes live at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT.

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The Sherdog Radio Network goes live at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT.

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In an exclusive interview with HeavyMMA's Duane Finley, UFC welterweight contender Jake Ellenberger talks about his win over Diego Sanchez – and how he wasn't honest in his post-fight interview about...

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On Feb. 15, 2012, two very talented Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweights engaged in mixed martial arts (MMA) combat when Diego Sanchez faced Jake Ellenberger for the main event of UFC on FUEL TV in Omaha, Nebraska. For two rounds, Ellenberger put on a passionate and dominant performance. He dealt Sanchez a broken nose in the first round, and he never took a break from inflicting damage on the same spot. In the third frame, Sanchez turned the tables and came close to finishing the fight. Ellenberger's determination and submission defense proved to be enough to rescue him from the onslaught and deliver him to victory. This fight was an illustration of what happens when an immovable object meets an unstoppable force. You get one of the finer fights of 2012. After the jump, we'll offer our best guesses as to what may be next for UFC on FUEL's big winner, Jake Ellenberger: With a victory over Diego Sanchez, Jake Ellenberger has put himself in a position for a title shot. But is that a possibility? It depends on who you talk to. The whole welterweight picture is so murky right now, in general. Georges St. Pierre is hurt and still recovering from a serious knee injury. Carlos Condit appears to be waiting for "GSP" to be ready so he can get his shot at unifying the interim and actual championship belts. Nick Diaz is in the middle of one of the biggest fights of his life, but it isn't in the cage. After testing positive for marijuana metabolizers after his UFC 143 bout versus Carlos Condit on Feb. 4, 2012. He's now challenging the ruling and hoping to avoid a lengthy suspension. Either way -- didn't he say he was retiring? Johny Hendricks and Josh Koscheck are both interesting possibilities, but they are currently scheduled to face each other at UFC on FOX 3 on May 5 in New Jersey. My preference would be for Ellenberger to finally get his rematch versus Condit. Right now, it makes a ton of sense and sells a lot of tickets. If it's possible and all the parties involved will sign, I don't see how you can argue with that being the best fight. But it's possible that it won't come together. Condit may opt to wait. St. Pierre may recover sooner than we'd originally thought, removing Condit from other options, anyway. If it's not Condit, then who? I'm gonna throw a suggestion out there. If you like it, you can take it. If you don't, send it right on back. Erick Silva. I know, I know. He's still so young and maybe a little green. He's just so good. At least that's my opinion. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'll tell you how we can find out: Put him in there with a top notch fighter. He's technically coming off a loss, but it's the kind of "loss" that Jon Jones suffered at the hands (and forehead) of Matt Hamill. Nobody who is being honest is considering that a legitimate loss. Nobody. Tell me that you wouldn't want to watch Jake Ellenberger vs. Erick Silva. You can't. It may not be the best option, but it's a pretty good "Plan B." Anyway, that's enough of my banter. I'd love to hear some suggestions from you Maniacs. By all means, let us know who you think Jake Ellenberger should fight with a comment (or 10) below!

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For the first two rounds of last nights UFC on Fuel TV headliner, Jake Ellenberger looked like the same fighter who had Carlos Condit on the run in the early going of their 2009 bout. Sadly, he had the same issues in the final round of his bout with Diego Sanchez that cost him a decision loss to Condit. Let's face it, in the early going Jake Ellenberger is a true force of nature. He abolished Jake Shields in 53 seconds. He only needed 5:22 to dispose of Mike Pyle. He damaged John Howard's eye enough in the first frame that by the third the fight had to be stopped. But we also have to face the reality that few welterweights fade like Ellenberger. He gave the second half of the Condit bout away and very nearly gave the whole face to Sanchez last night in the third round. Looking at Fight Metric we can see the way the Ellenberger tide roared into the Octagon with big wins in the first and second rounds and the tide slipped out with a big deficit in the third round as Sanchez got top control and rained down punches and looked for the choke. If Ellenberger is going to be challenging Carlos Condit for the UFC interim welterweight title anytime soon, he's going to need to focus on finishing Condit early OR rejiggering his whole game to avoid fading in the late rounds, because a five round fight is a whole 'nother ballgame.SBN coverage of UFC on Fuel TV

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In case you missed the UFC on Fuel TV bout between Jake Ellenberger and Diego Sanchez, here's a highlight video to get you caught up on the action that ended up being surprisingly competitive at the end. As a bonus on the video, UFC middleweight contender Brian Stann also gives his thoughts on how his teammate performed. Since 2 minutes won't do it much justice, here's the play-by-play of the entire fight: Diego Sanchez vs. Jake Ellenberger - Round 1 - They fire right away and Diego lands to the legs. Huge "Jake" chant from the crowd. Body shot by Diego. They trade body kicks. Diego with two punches and Ellenberger backs up. Diego misses and Ellenberger lands a few wide punches that got mostly arm. Ellenberger lands a bit more to the arms. Nice big knee by Ellenberger. Diego closes distance and lands a few punches and Ellenberger gets out with a knee to the body. Leg kick by Jake. They end up trading big shots after Ellenberger couldn't get a takedown. Ellenberger lands a few punches and Diego drops for a second but gets back up. Ellenberger lands a huge right at the end of the round and Diego tries to fire back but the round ends. 10-9 Ellenberger. Round 2 - Spinning back kick by Diego just misses. High kick by Ellenberger is blocked. Ellenberger blocks a body kick by Diego. Left hand gets in for Diego. Left hook gets in for Ellenberger. Jab by Ellenberger. Diego lands a solid right. Diego with an overhand right that glances off the cheek of Ellenberger. Ellenberger ducks under a Sanchez punch an gets a takedown. Diego tries to attack an arm. Tries again. Big elbow by Ellenberger and a few more. 10-9 Ellenberger. Round 3 - Diego rushes forward and eats a punch from Ellenberger. Diego with a left hand. Ellenberger with a jab. Right hand by Sanchez, he tries to rush forward and Ellenberger looks for the single leg but can't get it. Head kick by Diego just misses. Knee to the body by Ellenberger. Diego is coming on a bit here and lands a hard left. Ellenberger gets a takedown and Sanchez is working to his feet. Sanchez has the back now and he is going nuts from the back. Diego is pounding away! Ellenberger manages to get out after eating a ton of shots by Sanchez. 10-9 Diego (i really want to make it 10-8 for a draw) Official Scorecards: 29-28 across the board. Jake Ellenberger wins by unanimous decision.

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If Jake Ellenberger got his wish, his next fight would be a rematch with Carlos Condit for the UFC interim welterweight title.

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$50,000 bonuses: Fight of the Night: Diego Sanchez vs. Jake Ellenberger Knockout of the Night: Stipe Miocic Submission of the Night: Ivan Menjivar

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Jake Ellenberger was dominant in the first two rounds, then had to survive a late rally from Diego Sanchez to win the main event at UFC on Fuel TV in Omaha.

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Jake Ellenberger wasn't talking title fights after his win over Diego Sanchez at UFC on Fuel because he was all about enjoying the moment with hometown crowd.

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This is the UFC on FUEL live blog for Jake Ellenberger vs. Diego Sanchez, the main event of tonight's UFC card from the Omaha Civic Auditorium in Omaha.Ellenberger (26-5) has won five in a row in the UFC and won the biggest fight of his career last September, stopping Jake Shields in 53 seconds. In his last two fights, Sanchez (23-4) recorded wins by decision against Paulo Thiago and Martin Kampmann in "Fight of the Nights."The live blog begins below. More Coverage: UFC on FUEL Results | Latest UFC News Round 1:Round 2:Round 3:

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Jake Ellenberger picked Diego Sanchez apart for two rounds and hung on late to win by a unanimous decision at UFC on FUEL TV 1 Wednesday.

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A look at UFC's February slate of three cards. The shows keep rolling out.

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FUEL TV’s Ariel Helwani talks to Diego Sanchez and Jake Ellenberger about their headlining fight tomorrow night at UFC on FUEL 1.

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A potential UFC welterweight title contender will be emerging tomorrow night (February 15, 2012) as original Ultimate Fighter Diego Sanchez battles the heavy-hitting Jake Ellenberger in the main event of UFC on Fuel TV in Omaha, Nebraska. Sanchez, a former lightweight title challenger, returned to Greg Jackson's gym and has showcased his tremendous heart in consecutive spirited performances at welterweight. He's trying to become a player at 170 and he will definitely make a statement if he can knock off one of the fastest rising contenders in the division in Ellenberger. Jake Ellenberger is returning to his home state of Nebraska for the first time in over five years, and now he's doing it as a headliner and budding UFC title contender. His 53 second destruction Jake Shields last September exploded him onto the map and now it's time to see if he can keep his momentum rolling as he takes on one of the gutsiest fighters in the UFC. Will Sanchez slay his demons and live his "Dream" with a main event victory? Can Ellenberger potentially earn an interim title shot by slaying Sanchez? How does each man find victory tomorrow night? Let's find out: Diego Sanchez Record: 23-4 overall, 12-4 in the UFC Key Wins: Nick Diaz (The Ultimate Fighter 2 Finale), Paulo Thiago (UFC 121), Clay Guida (The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale) Key Losses: John Hathaway (UFC 114), B.J. Penn (UFC 107), Josh Koscheck (UFC 69) How he got here: Diego Sanchez got his start primarily in the King of the Cage circuit, wining his first 11 fights and becoming champion after defeating Jorge Santiago. He entered the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter as a favorite and became a fan favorite with his unique personality and some of his crazy antics. After winning the first season as a middleweight, he dropped down to 170 pounds, defeating the likes of Nick Diaz, Karo Parisyan and Joe Riggs to become a contender, although he was brought back down to earth after consecutive decision losses to both Josh Koscheck and Jon Fitch. Undeterred, "The (then) Nightmare" dropped down to lightweight and after two impressive victories over the likes of Joe Stevenson and Clay Guida, he was given a title shot against B.J. Penn. Sanchez gave it his all, but he was outclassed in nearly all areas, losing via doctor stoppage to "The Prodigy." Afterwards, he returned to welterweight and despite suffering a speed bump against John Hathaway, the Greg Jackson-trained fighter bounced back against Paulo Thiago and then scored a close and controversial decision victory over Martin Kampmann. After getting injured in preparation for a fight with Matt Hughes, Sanchez is back and ready to take on Jake Ellenberger, one of the most powerful and dangerous welterweights on the planet. How he gets it done: To win this fight, Sanchez is going to have to rely on two of the things that he has an advantage of against just about everyone he faces, pure heart and incredible conditioning. "The Dream" can't afford to sit back and fight Ellenberger's fight. He's got to be highly aggressive, get in Ellenberger's face and force the hometown fighter to play more defensive. If Sanchez can get out of the first round, and he's never had an issue with that before, the fact that he can make Ellenberger work extremely hard might be enough to put him over the top. Expect constant aggression, takedown attempts and a high volume of ugly-looking punches getting thrown in the direction of his opponent. What matters isn't that he connect or do a significant amount of damage, it's that he makes Ellenberger work and tires him out. By the midway point of the second round, if "The Juggernaut" isn't gasping for breath and looking at the clock, then Sanchez will have failed. But if he does tire Ellenberger out, his wrestling will become much more effective, as will his striking offense. Those crazy punches might not be the most damaging, but they look pretty and they could perhaps help him win a decision like in his last fight. Jake Ellenberger Record: 25-5 overall, 5-1 in the UFC Key Wins: Jake Shields (UFC Fight Night 25), Mike Pyle (UFC 108), Carlos Eduardo Rocha (UFC 126) Key Losses: Carlos Condit (UFC Fight Night 19), Rick Story (SportFight 23) How he got here: Jake Ellenberger won his first 11 fights all by stoppage while fighting primarily in Midwest promotions near his Nebraska home before earning an opportunity to fight in the IFL. He had a rude awakening in his promotional debut, losing a decision to Jay Hieron and he never quite got on track in the promotion, going 2-2 while also mixing in multiple fights with other leagues during his downtime to gain experience. A solid four fight win streak while fighting for M-1 and Bellator earned "The Juggernaut" a trip to the UFC where again, he'd have a tough first fight against current UFC interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit. Ellenberger blasted Condit early with some serious power but "The Natural Born Killer" bounced back to take an extremely close split decision in one of 2009's best fights. Since that loss, Ellenberger has won five straight which includes four stoppage victories due to strikes. The Reign Training Center fighter smashed Sean Pierson at UFC 127 and then followed it up with by far the biggest victory of his career, a 53 second drubbing of former title challenger Jake Shields, stopping him for the first time in over 10 years. With that victory, Ellenberger is poised to potentially contend for the title, but he's got to get past fan favorite Diego Sanchez first. How he gets it done: Jake Ellenberger needs to hurt Diego Sanchez badly standing. The Nebraska native has some of the heaviest hands of any welterweight in the world and he'll definitely need to land them hard if he wants to get the win. Diego Sanchez can take a shot too so if Ellenberger hurts him, he can't let him back to his feet. He needs to swarm him immediately and go for the kill just like he did in his last fight with Jake Shields. The key for Ellenberger will be to land a strike with power during some of Sanchez's wildest exchanges. Sanchez is likely going to be vulnerable early as he's been hurt by fighters like John Hathaway and B.J. Penn in the first round as well as losing the first rframe to Paulo Thiago in all his recent fights. If Sanchez shoots in wildly, "The Juggernaut" needs to instinctually attack with a huge knee, similarly to what he did against Shields. Ellenberger has tremendous power both with his knees and his fists and if he stuns Sanchez, he's got to pounce and finish him off before he zombie-modes his way back into the fight. While Ellenberger was an assistant wrestling coach at Nebraska, it's his striking technique and power which will win him this fight. Fight X-Factor: The biggest X-Factor for this fight has to be the opening round. Diego Sanchez tends to get hit hard early in fights and there's no one that hits harder than Jake Ellenberger right now. If he walks into something or does not utilize proper defense, he's asking for quite a bit of trouble. That being said, if Sanchez gets out of the first round, and if he pushes the type of pace we've come to expect from him, his conditioning could take over to where he can utilize his wrestling and impose his will. It will all come down to how much damage Ellenberger can dish out early, whether he can stop the fight or at least inflict enough punishment to stop Sanchez from being able to take over late. Bottom Line: This fight is going to be a war. Diego Sanchez is an animal and he's not afraid of anyone, even someone as powerful as Jake Ellenberger. I expect both fighters to go at it from start to finish with Sanchez working some big sloppy strikes and takedown attempts while Ellenberger loads up for a huge knee or right hand. There's potential for either a highlight reel stoppage or just an incredible Fight of the Night performance as Sanchez has done that in four of his last six fights. This one should be terrific. Who will come out on top at UFC on Fuel TV: "Sanchez vs. Ellenberger?" Tell us your predictions in the comments below! Poll Who will reign supreme in the main event of UFC on Fuel TV tomorrow night? Jake Ellenberger Diego Sanchez   1 votes | Results

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Diego Sanchez and Jake Ellenberger meet in tomorrow night’s main event at UFC on FUEL 1.

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Jake Shields puts to bed the rumors that he's leaving Team Cesar Gracie and makes it clear that always has been, and always will be his team.

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Jake Ellenberger isn't worried about calling out Carlos Condit or asking for title shots. He knows that if he's on his game, he can beat any fighter in the world, title or no title.

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A controversial loss to Carlos Condit in 2009 altered Ellenberger's career path, but he's still focused on what lies ahead.

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Jake Ellenberger was awarded the Key to the City of Omaha, Neb. on Monday, ahead of his UFC on FUEL TV 1 main event against Diego Sanchez.

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Often when talking with fighters, whether it be before or after a fight, they are usually brief with their words and do not stray from the topic at hand. That is not the case with Diego Sanchez. Sanchez, the longtime UFC veteran since winning The Ultimate Fighter in 2005, returns to the Octagon next Wednesday, taking on Jake Ellenberger at UFC on Fuel TV 1. While Sanchez is deeply focused on the upcoming match, acknowledging how tough of a challenge Ellenberger is, it has been an even tougher challenge dealing with personal events outside of the cage. Those events have shaped Sanchez’s life over the last few years. For many years, as Sanchez puts it, he was “enjoying the life” for far too long. Whether that was being out with others drinking, smoking, or doing other activities, Sanchez was jeopardizing his career. But once those activities began jeopardizing his personal life, he knew he had to change. After going through financial struggles, admitting he lost a significant amount of money through a friend he trusted, Sanchez started to stray from what had brought him so much success. He began partying too much, and his training suffered because of it. Then he fell into a deeper hole, as he suffered through a dispute with a woman who proclaimed she gave birth to a child that was his. As he tried to make the best of the situation, even attempting to fight for custody, it all fell apart, as the results of a DNA test determined the child was not Sanchez’s. But even through all of that, Sanchez was able to find peace in his life. He managed to turn his life around, and maintain a much more positive attitude. This even spawned the idea of changing his nickname from “Nightmare” to “Dream,” signifying just how thankful he is. Now Sanchez sees himself marking another milestone in his storied career, as he will be entering the cage for the first time as a married man. “This time around, I’m not fighting for just me,” Sanchez told MMAFrenzy.com. “I am fighting for my wife and the rest of my family. My wife is the greatest thing to ever happen to me. Now is the beginning of the second half of my career – the better half. I am excited to enter this fight with a clear mind.” A clear mind can certainly be a tough task, especially coming off the longest layoff of your UFC career. Having last fought in March 2011 at UFC on Versus 3 against Martin Kampmann, Sanchez was expected to fight Matt Hughes at UFC 135 in September. Unfortunately, Sanchez sustained a broken hand, causing him to withdraw from the fight, and extending his layoff. But Sanchez did not take it easy during the time off, a break he now sees as a blessing. “As soon as my hand was broken, I was back five days later training everything I could do without my hand,” Sanchez explained. “I gained ten pounds of muscle, hoping to become a much more natural welterweight. I did my best to turn this injury into a blessing. That is part of what makes a fighter a champion.” Now Sanchez gets to put that all to the test, taking on top contender Jake Ellenberger on Wednesday. He will be fighting “The Juggernaut” in Ellenberger’s hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. But Sanchez does not see that as a challenge, knowing that it is only one other person that affects the fight, not the thousands in the stands. “Fighting in Omaha will only test me more,” said Sanchez. “I learned long ago that it does not matter what is said, because only the fight matters. All of the training beforehand, everything you eat, everything you do to prepare, that is what matters. The littlest decisions can make the biggest impact on a fight. “Fighting Jake, I am just thrilled to get in and do what I was born to do. I got in this sport to fight guys that can challenge me. This is going to be a war because I am a warrior, and Jake is a warrior.” A war was promised between Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit, but that did not come to fruition. Condit, Sanchez’s teammate at Jackson’s MMA, won via unanimous decision. That decision has become a subject of controversy since the score was announced. Whether that is due to pre-fight promises or the style that Condit deployed during the fight, Sanchez promises that will not take place two weeks in a row. “This fight will absolutely excite people,” said Sanchez. “I’m fighting a guy like me – someone who is not afraid and is willing to fight. Regarding Carlos and what happened in that fight, Carlos got the win, and that is all that matters in this sport. The bottom line is [Nick] Diaz had opportunities to change his gameplan, and he didn’t. Some guys fight a points fight, and it is up to you to adapt to that.” Sanchez has experience with controversial decisions, specifically in his most recent fight, a win over Martin Kampmann last March. Sanchez won via unanimous decision, but many fans and journalists questioned the decision, citing the damage Kampmann caused to Sanchez’s face throughout the fight. But even with a badly cut and bruised face, Sanchez won the fight on all three judges’ cards. He is quick to point that out whenever the subject is brought up. “To this day, I still feel I earned the victory,” explained Sanchez. “I never slowed down; even after those shots I took. Both Diaz and Kampmann never changed what they were doing, and that’s why they lost. It was a unanimous decision for a reason, not a split decision. I got the points needed to win. Judges don’t score blood, they score the fight.” Now Sanchez will have a chance to continue that momentum that he started with that win. With the welterweight division in flux due to champion Georges St. Pierre’s injury, many fighters are vying for the opportunity to cement their status as a top contender in the division. Ellenberger is seen as one of those contenders. Ellenberger last fought in September, impressively defeating Jake Shields within a minute by knockout. The former college wrestler has a strong array of strikes with very powerful punches. With a five fight win streak, and having not lost since September 2009, he is likely close to a title shot. That is just one of the many challenges in front of Sanchez. But he prides himself in being able to get through those challenges. “Jake is the number one welterweight contender, in my opinion,” said Sanchez. “Jake is a on a tear, lately, but I know I can compete with anyone.” As for what lies in the future for Sanchez, he only sees it continuing in the right direction. “I’ve paid my dues in this sport. I’ve gone through so much just to get here. After Jake, whenever they need me, I’ll be ready to go. If they see me ready to be a number one contender, that’s great. If not, I’ll still be preparing because I am still always improving. “We’ll see what happens with Carlos Condit and Georges St. Pierre and everything else that happens in the division. Joe Silva will put together a great fight for me that will sell. I know he’ll put together the right one that will excite people because I am a ‘Fight of the Night’ fighter.” With that spirit, Sanchez is proving he truly is a fighter, both inside and outside of the cage.

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MMAWeekly Radio returns on Monday with UFC on Fuel headliner Jake Ellenberger and lots of debate surrounding the events at UFC 143.

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The fans voted and their voices have been heard. Jake Ellenberger is the MMAWeekly.com Breakout Fighter of the Year for 2011.

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Middleweight remains on the mind of former Strikeforce 185-pound champ Jake Shields, even though he's preparing for a welterweight fight with Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 144.

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Jake Ellenberger talks with MMAWeekly.com's Erik Fontanez in Southern California.

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“I’m feeling great about my opponent. [Akiyama] is someone that I should match up good against… I just wanna have a great year. 2011 wasn’t my best year and I just wanna get back on track and get a couple of big wins to get myself lined back up for another title shot. I would like to be the number one contender by the end of 2012… Right now I wanna see Nick [Diaz} go out there and take that belt and then I’ll worry about what I’m gonna do from there.” — Jake Shields talking to Fighting Famous TV (transcribed via MMA Mania) about bouncing back in 2012 Jake Shields definitely didn’t have the best year in 2012. In his defense though, the obstacles he was faced with were nearly insurmountable. First, he had to fight Georges St. Pierre which rarely turns out well for anybody. And then he was forced to deal with the unexpected passing of his father/manager, Jack Shields, just weeks before meeting Jake Ellenberger. Considering the circumstances, it wasn’t surprising that he didn’t perform well in that fight. A new year brings a new beginning though, and now Shields has the opportunity to get his career back on track. The only downside to that is he’s now in the hunt for the same title as his close teammate, Nick Diaz. It’s fact he’s well aware of, but he doesn’t think it will become an issue. The reality is though, as long as Georges St. Pierre or Nick Diaz hold the title, Shields is pretty much out of the welterweight title picture. If he gets a couple wins and one of them has the belt, might a move back to middleweight be in Shields’ future? It’s too soon to tell, but he says he’s open to it. Image via Esther Lin for Strikeforce/Showtime

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HeavyMMA staff writer Duane Finley goes in-depth with Jake "The Juggernaut" Ellenberger in the latest Fighting Life.

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Jake Hecht isn't one to turn down life-changing opportunities. It's how he ended up with a coaching position in Ireland despite being born and raised in Missouri and it's how he stepped in on one month's notice to take on four fight UFC veteran Rich Attonito. And boy did he take advantage of his shot. Hecht ignored the first-time Octagon jitters at UFC 140 this past Saturday night (Dec. 10, 2011) and battered Attonito with a pair of elbows which rocked "The Raging Bull" and set up his eventual technical knockout (TKO) finish. The now 1-0 UFC welterweight spoke with myself and Matt Bishop during a guest appearance on Bloody Elbow Radio yesterday and he discussed his fight with Attonito, his background and some very interesting and unique life experiences. Follow me after the jump to learn a little more about Mr. Hecht: Matt Bishop: I understand you're joining us here today from across the pond. Jake Hecht: Yeah, I had to come back home to Ireland. I'm not Irish, but I live in Ireland. Matt Bishop: That's interesting because I've read you're from Missouri so how did you end up in Ireland from all that? Jake Hecht: I fought for an organization called Cage Warriors last October and they were impressed with my style and asked me if I wanted a coaching job in Ireland and I jumped at the opportunity so I've been over here since February and I'm loving every minute of it. Matt Bishop: Alright Jake, let's talk about your fight this past weekend. You beat Rich Attonito by second round TKO in your UFC debut. How excited are you to go in there and get a win in your debut against a guy who had been on The Ultimate Fighter and had four fights in the organization? Jake Hecht: Oh man, I was just on cloud nine. Really, words cannot describe how happy I was, happy I am and I couldn't be any more pleased with the win. I couldn't have really planned that out better. Like I said in the post-fight interview, I took that elbow attack from my fight last October with Che Mills, who's now in the UFC as well. When I fought him, I spent the majority of the fight in the same position Rich was in, trying to get a takedown along the fence and he must have landed 50-60 elbows and they hurt and cut me up pretty bad. When I threw mine, I felt his legs go limp and I jumped at the opportunity and couldn't stop throwing right hands until the referee pulled us apart. Matt Bishop: That was a very unique finish. Were you surprised you were able to hurt him so badly with your elbow while having your back against the fence like that? Jake Hecht: Yeah, I was really surprised. The only thing I can say about that is my elbow is still really sore so better my elbow than my face I guess. In my last fight, I broke my right hand in the third round and that sucked, but better my elbow than my hand either. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You overcame a bit in the first round. Can you kind of talk about that? Rich took you down and I'd scored the first round for him so what was it like with your corner in between rounds? What was going through your mind on how you were gonna stop him? Jake Hecht: Well, we weren't too worried about that. I felt like I had the advantage on the stand-up so the gameplan was to throw left leg kicks and focus on body kicks, head kicks. I came out in the second round and tried throwing a head kick and stayed standing and weather the storm. I really wasn't too caught up with losing that first round because I knew there was a long fight ahead of us and I thought I was gonna get the advantage in the second and third round which ended up happening. In between rounds, they just told me, "Less leg kicks, more boxing, more movement and use your wrestling whenever you want," because we were confident that our wrestling would be better. I think traditionally, if you look at my past fights, I'm more of a wrestler and grappler so we were gonna use that wrestling in later rounds and my corner told me to use that if I wanted to and look for the takedown. If you watch the fight really closely, Rich and I both shoot at the exact same time. It wasn't like he shot and I sprawled. We both shot at the exact same time and just smacked shoulders so I was planning on using that grappling and that's kind of what happened. Matt Bishop: Can you take us through the week? What was it like going to Toronto? First off, have you ever been there before and then, what was the week like for you? What was going through your mind, your emotions all the way up until getting the win? Jake Hecht: I've never been to Toronto but I'm very pleased with Canada. The fans were crazy. I've never seen fans that were more into MMA than that. I was very pleased with that. I came in and Burt, who runs the UFC show, everything backstage, he came in and weighed me on Tuesday and was not happy with me all week. I like to cut a lot of weight all at once so when he weighed me on Tuesday, I weighed 188 and he was all over me, "what are you gonna do? Why are you this heavy?" and yelling at me but I really thought I was in great shape for losing that amount of weight. I just spent the week dieting and slowly coming down and I always load water to do it and ended up losing a lot of water weight in the last couple days. I came down in a hurry and then came back up in a hurry. I felt great for the fight. I weighed in right before the fight right at about 194-195 so I was able to take the weight off and put it back on really quick. The day of the fight was really, really surreal and strange. Normally I'm very nervous, very methodical and really thought out and just run through gameplans and that day I felt really relaxed and I felt like nothing was gonna go wrong that day. It was strange how comfortable I was. A lot of people are teasing me back in Ireland about how happy I am walking out to the fight and saying they'd never seen someone so happy during their entrance but it's just how that week was going. I felt like nothing was gonna go wrong. Matt Bishop: We've got a lot of questions, people asking about your background. Could you take us through how you got started in MMA and what you've been up to before getting the call by the UFC? Jake Hecht: Sure, sure. Go back a long, long time to whenever I was a little kid. I had an older brother of course and older brothers are supposed to pick on younger brothers, however, my older brother took it to a whole new level, like breaking collar bones, breaking ribs, knocking teeth out so I had to kind of learn how to defend myself a little bit so I got into wrestling whenever I was about 14 and really took to that, really enjoyed it and I ended up qualifying for Missouri State competition in 2002. To go along with wrestling, I decided to do something in the offseason so I took up boxing and really enjoyed that as well. I won the golden gloves tournament in 2002 and ended up getting second place in 2004. I ended up wrestling in college for a year and a half in a small NAIA school in St. Louis and decided that I didn't want to devote my life to sports, at least not that sport. I transferred schools out to the University of Missouri Columbia and about the time that I did that, a man named Wade Rome came out and introduced the American Top Team branch to Missouri and that's where I first got into MMA and found out I can combine my wrestling and boxing together and I was really pleased with that. I jumped on that opportunity to train with really high level guys and just kind of went from there. I ended up with nine amateur fights all ending in the first round TKO so I thought all I had to do was box people and I would be successful at that but in my first pro debut, I ended up facing a guy who was a very skilled jiu-jitsu guy and we went back and forth. I ended up losing a split decision because he outpositioned me so after that, I spent the next two years just working with American Top Team black belts and working on my jiu-jitsu game. That's how I became the grappler I am today I guess. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): What's the fight scene like in Ireland? I know you're working with the guys over there. I find that very interesting. Jake Hecht: Yeah, the game iss really, really developing over here and they're still in the beginning stages. There's a lot of, it's kind of different than the states because in the states, you have like all amateur and pro but here, they kind of break it down to different classes. They have D class, C class, B class and A class where a D class is like a no head shot competition, more of a glorified grappling competition. C class would be comparable to an American amateur fight and then A class would be comparable to the pro class so I have guys at a range of different levels and just basically taking them around the country both to the UK and Ireland and getting them going. The great thing about being over here and what gives us a huge advantage is I wrestled for so long and hardly anyone over here trains American style wrestling so it really gives guys a big advantage to show them and focus on the takedowns, focus on takedown defense and if they can go out there and really take the guy down and really work from top, they'll get a big advantage there. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You fought in Jordan in your last fight before you competed in the UFC. I'm wondering what that experience was like. Jake Hecht: Oh, it was crazy. You'd come out of the hotel and you'd go five miles south and we went to this colosseum that was built in like 180 AD. It was like the oldest building I've ever seen in my life and then you'd go 10 minutes north the other way and you're at a super strip mall with JC Penny and big stores in it. It was quite a culture shock and the fans there are interesting to say the least. How the beginning of that card worked out, it was kinda like UFC 1 where you had all these guys from the Middle East who were world champion kickboxers or world champion wrestlers or world champion greco Roman so it was kind of like UFC 1, it was a comparison of styles. It was not like a bunch of well-rounded fighters come together. It was someone who was extremely good at one discipline and it was really a comparison between disciplines. It was really great to watch that show in the beginning and you talk about some loyal fans. There was almost a riot in the crowd over there and the security was outrageous. It was a hell of an experience and I'll never forget it. I can remember looking up in my fight and the royal family of Jordan was in the top row watching from the VIP balcony so it was crazy to fight in front of the king and queen of Jordan. It was quite an experience. Matt Bishop: We'll let you get out of here with one last question. We appreciate you joining us here today. What's your timetable here? Do you want to get back in as soon as possible? What are you looking at for your next UFC fight? Jake Hecht: I'd like to relax for a couple months, maybe do some traveling around here. I thought about going to Thailand for a month and a couple friends of mine are going over there in March so I thought about going with them to both train and party so we'll see. Whenever they call and say, "Hey, you've got a fight," of course I'll fight but I'm looking for taking about a month or two off. Jake would like to thank his sponsor Stand Up Fighter. You can follow him on twitter @JakeHechtUFC. So what do you think, Maniacs? For those of you that saw it, were you impressed with Hecht's finish of the veteran Attonito last Saturday night? How much of a future do you feel he has in the welterweight division? Sound off!

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It's always a great story when a fighter gets the chance to step up on short notice and makes the most of it. Jake Hecht is exactly that fighter at UFC 140.

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Jake Hecht defeated Rich Attonito by TKO at 1:10 in round 2. Jake Hecht landed a digging leg kick as the fight began. Rich caught a leg kick and used it to drag the fight to the ground. On the way down Hecht's head cut open. Attonito landed some big elbows from the top. Hecht threw his legs up for an arm bar and Attonito used it to pass to side control. Hecht regained his guard but Attonito maintained posture and landed punches to the head and body to close the round. Jake Hecht attempted an early takedown but Rich Attonito stuffed it and switched to his own takedown attempt. Hecht landed some questionable elbows which dropped Attonito and finished him off with ground and pound. Jake Hecht was making his UFC debut. He is 11-2 in his MMA career. Rich Attonito is now 3-2 in the UFC and 10-5 in his MMA career. Both fighters are out of American Top Team. SBN coverage of UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida

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Rich Attonito discusses his UFC 140 bout with Jake Hecht with Sherdog.com’s Greg Savage.

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Rich Attonito discusses his UFC 140 bout with Jake Hecht with Sherdog.com’s Greg Savage.

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It's been a long time coming, but Jake Ellenberger vs. Diego Sanchez is finally a done deal.

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Though a date has not yet been selected, Diego Sanchez is expected to fight next against streaking welterweight Jake Ellenberger.

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Our favorite Danish thing other than a pecan apple danish is Danish MMA fighter Martin Kampmann. He'll be fighting some seriously tough opposition in Rick Story this Saturday at UFC 139, and a loss will drop him into the dreaded 3-fight losing streak zone where many fighters find themselves getting cut from the organization. Sucks to be him, especially when you consider his last two losses to Diego Sanchez and Jake Shields were razor thin at best and outright judging incompetence at worst.We've already covered Martin Kampmann's bitter, bitter thoughts on Diego Sanchez's bitchitude. Now let's hear what he has to say about the Jake Shields loss via an interview with MMA Sucka: “The Shields fight was the fight I was the most disappointed in my performance. I think I did a lot of things wrong in that fight by doing stupid shit. He did win that fight by humping my leg for as long as he could. I gave that victory away by fighting a bad fight.”...“For the most part wrestlers take people down and lay on them. That is how I lost to Jake Shields. I was kneeing Jake in the face and in the body. I had a solid submission attempt with a choke. He landed one punch on me in that entire fight and he didn’t once try to submit me. He won the fight by getting on top of me and humping my leg. I think the current scoring system favors wrestlers too much. You can punch a guy ten times in the face, but if he takes you down and cuddles with you, they give the round to that guy. It is what it is.” Martin follows this up by saying he's taken that into account and has been working dilligently to improve his wrestling. A good thing considering Rick Story is one of those cuddly wrestler dudes who also likes giving guys consciousness-separating fist kisses while on the ground. I'm not about to disagree with Kampmann's observations regarding those last two decisions, but at the same time we all know how judges score fights and you gotta work around that bullshit. Kampmann's biggest problem isn't the judges, it's his willingness to keep the fight where his opponent wants it. If Kampmann fights Story the same way, he's liable to be pissed off at a third guy who won 'even though they didn't deserve to.'

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It appears that the the UFC's Japanese event that is scheduled for February has another big bout lined up. Just two days after confirming that Frankie Edgar would defend his UFC lightweight title against Ben Henderson in the main event of that card, word comes down from Mike Chiapetta of MMA Fighting that Yoshihiro Akiyama will make his welterweight debut against former Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields on February 26th: @MikeChiappettaMike Chiappetta MMA Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Jake Shields has been signed for UFC 144 in Japan. It'll be Akiyama's debut at 170.Nov 14 via webFavoriteRetweetReply   Both fighters are currently mired in losing streaks. Akiyama has dropped three bouts in a row, most recently getting knocked out by Vitor Belfort in under two minutes at UFC 133. He has talked of dropping to 170 for a while now, and actually did a test cut just a few days ago. Shields has lost two bouts in a row, the last coming to Jake Ellenberger in just 53 seconds at UFC Fight Night 25 in September. He has been dealing with the loss of his father and manager Jack Shields, who passed away shortly before the September bout. The UFC has now confirmed the bout.

Posted in: ufc, shield, jake, bout, akiyama

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Judo Jitsu? Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has announced a blockbuster welterweight match-up for its return to Japan, pitting former division number one contender Jake Shields against Yoshihiro Akiyama in the sexy one's 170-pound debut. From UFC.com: "Verbal agreements are in for a welterweight matchup in Tokyo, Japan between former Strikeforce champion Jake Shields and Asian superstar ‘Sexyama' Yoshihiro Akiyama February 26th," said UFC President Dana White. UFC 144, which takes place on Feb. 26, 2012, in Japan's Saitama Super Arena, is expected to air stateside on Saturday night (Feb. 25) in its usual pay-per-view time slot due to the difference in time zones. Shields (26-6-1) is coming off back-to-back losses for the first time in his career. After falling to the Canadian jab of death against Georges St. Pierre at UFC 129 last April, the former Strikeforce middleweight champion was stiffened by Jake Ellenberger at UFC Fight Night 25, just days after the passing of his father, back on Sept. 17. Will he be ready for "Sexyama?" Akiyama (13-4) was kicked out of the middleweight division by Vitor Belfort, who knocked some ugly into him at the UFC 133 event last August. It was the third consecutive loss for the bloated 185-pounder, who is shedding some skin to preserve his Octagon career. And what better place to do it than the "Land of the Rising Sun?" UFC 144 is expected to be headlined by a 155-pound title fight featuring Ben Henderson, fresh off his unanimous decision win over Clay Guida, taking on reigning lightweight champion Frankie Edgar. Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for future updates to this still-developing fight card.

Posted in: ufc, shield, jake, japan, akiyama

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Jake Shields will travel to Japan for his next fight as he faces former middleweight Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 144.

Posted in: ufc, jake shields, shield, jake, yoshihiro akiyama

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UFC officials announced on Monday that Jake Shields will meet Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 144 in Japan.

Posted in: ufc, jake shields, shield, jake, yoshihiro akiyama

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Filed under: UFC, NewsYoshihiro Akiyama will make the move down to welterweight to tangle with former divisional No. 1 contender Jake Shields at UFC 144 in Japan. The UFC confirmed the bout on Monday afternoon. Akiyama had lost three straight as a middleweight, dropping bouts to Vitor Belfort, Michael Bisping and Chris Leben, and it had been feared that he may be cut from the promotion. Instead, he finds new life as a 170-pounder. The 36-year-old, who is 13-4 with 2 no contests, will no doubt help sell tickets in his native Japan. Meanwhile, Shields will be looking to bounce back from his 53-second knockout loss at the hands of Jake Ellenberger in September. The defeat came just two weeks after the passing of his father, Jack. Shields is 26-6-1 overall. UFC 144 will take place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan and features a main event of UFC lightweight champ Frank Edgar against challenger Ben Henderson. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, shield, jake, akiyama, yoshihiro akiyama

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UFC newcomer Jake Hecht will step in to face TUF 11 veteran Rich Attonito at UFC 140 in Toronto next month.

Posted in: ufc, jake, attonito, hecht, newcomer

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UFC newcomer Jake Hecht will get the call to step in on short notice to face American Top Team fighter Rich Attonito at UFC 140 in December.

Posted in: ufc, jake, attonito, face american, team fighter

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Thiago Alves is coming off a very good win over a solid prospect, but he's not going to get much respect for it. That's the way it goes when you beat a fighter that is off most people's radar like Papy Abedi, no matter how good he is. But now that he has that win, he's looking at bigger and better things. When asked by ESPN UK about a possible fight with rising star Jake Ellenberger, Alves was diplomatic: "That would be a great fight," he said to ESPN. "But like I said, whoever Joe Silva wants me to fight, I'm ready for it. "I know I'm a few fights away from title contention, so whoever brings me closer - I'm ready." While there has been a lot of talk about Ellenberger facing Diego Sanchez when he returns from his hand injury, I think Alves vs. Ellenberger is an even better matchup. Diego's a great fighter, but he doesn't have the standup or the takedown defense that Alves does, and Alves is a bigger and better challenge overall. What would you rather see Jake Ellenberger face, folks?

Posted in: fight, jake, ellenberger, im, alve

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submitted by ImaG [link] [2 comments]

Posted in: jake ellenberger, jake, nick diaz, imag, butterfly

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“[Nick Diaz] likes to run his mouth, I don’t get him. He just likes to talk and he is what he is… He’s gonna get his coming against GSP. GSP’s motivated, I don’t see what Nick’s going to bring to the table. Jake Shields was a more difficult fight for GSP… GSP’s a lot faster than Diaz, Diaz has no power, he’s not going to knock him out. He should have finished BJ and he couldn’t even do that… His slap-box game… I would like to fight Diaz. Ideally I’d love to fight Diaz, his little patty-cake game he plays, man if he played that with me I’d put him down for sure, 100 per cent. If you did that where I come from, you get your ass whooped… But GSP’s faster than him, he can take him down and he’s better than him everywhere. So I don’t see the point of that fight.” — Jake Ellenberger telling ESPN UK he wants to fight Nick Diaz Well, it looks like someone is trying to pick a fight with the sport’s hottest welterweight. I definitely wouldn’t characterize Nick Diaz’s style of striking as a “little game of patty-cake.” After all. he has battered, bloodied and bruised every man he’s fought in the last few years with his “slap-box” style, but if Jake Ellenberger wants to climb the ladder and make it to a title shot, picking a fight with Nick Diaz isn’t a bad place to start, especially if Nick ends up with the belt next year. Image via Dave Mandel for Sherdog

Posted in: fight, jake, diaz, nick, gsp

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Have'nt heard any news about him or prospective fights. submitted by SomeDude89 [link] [1 comment]

Posted in: fight, shield, jake, what, somedude

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I think it's a logical fight for both people, and I think it would be a really exciting fight. It would really make sense after Jake's last fight, and since Condit wants to be on the next card, why not make the fight? Anyone agree? submitted by bobman15 [link] [12 comments]

Posted in: fight, jake, condit, fight anyone, jakes

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submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [6 comments]

Posted in: jake shields, jake, division, middleweight division, damian maia

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Win big fights in the UFC and you shall be rewarded.

Posted in: ufc, jake ellenberger, jake, contract, multifight contract

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submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [3 comments]

Posted in: jake ellenberger, jake, diego sanchez, diego, mattyblayze

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When Jake Ellenberger knocked out Jake Shields in less than a minute last weekend at UFC Fight Night 25, it sent shockwaves through the welterweight division.

Posted in: jake shields, jake ellenberger, jake, map ’., welterweight division

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Surging UFC welterweight contender Jake Ellenberger, fresh off a first round destruction of Jake Shields at UFC Fight Night 25 back on Sept. 17 in New Orleans, takes fans on a brief tour of his "MMA Crib" in southern California.

Posted in: jake shields, jake ellenberger, jake, mma crib, round destruction

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Jake Ellenberger knew he’d beat Jake Shields. Just not in 53 seconds.

Posted in: jake shields, title shot, jake ellenberger, jake, ellenberger

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Filed under: UFC, NewsLess than 48 hours after the signature win of his career thus far, Jake Ellenberger hasn't quite fully digested his knockout of Jake Shields at Saturday's UFC Fight Night 25. It's not that Ellenberger is surprised he won. After all, it's a fight he asked for, and he basically predicted the result. But the manner in which he won -- becoming the first man to finish Shields in 11 years, and doing it in just 53 seconds -- seems a little surreal, even to him. "It's something I'm still definitely trying to wrap my head around," Ellenberger said on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour. "It happened quick, and Jake's definitely one of the best guys I've ever fought so it feels great. It's definitely a big win for me." Ellenberger says that from studying Shields' past fights, he always felt that his own style would match up well. Couple that with what he perceived to be a speed advantage along with his wrestling skills, and it was a recipe for the upset. "I know he was looking to take me down and I really wasn't that worried about it," he said. "I saw openings and I knew I definitely had the potential to knock him out. But happening the way it did is still kind of surreal." The win rocketed him into the conversation of welterweight title contenders. Ellenberger is now 26-5 overall and has won five straight in the UFC, with four of those coming via stoppage. He said that he hopes to face a highly ranked opponent and would like to fight again before the end of 2011. Ellenberger said that though he's aware he probably opened a few eyes over the weekend, that takes a backseat to his goal of fighting for the UFC title. "I'm not really looking for attention," he said. "I'm not in the sport for attention. My goal is a world title and that's what it's been since day 1. The more attention the better, but I'm blessed to be where I'm at and do what I love and be part of the UFC. It's been great." Though he called out Shields dating back to last year, Ellenberger says he's not asking for anyone specific this time around. His goal is the title, and he'll continue to work towards that. As he waits for his next matchup, Ellenberger will keep an eye on the welterweight title picture, where he says Carlos Condit has a "great chance" of upsetting Georges St-Pierre in October because of his fearlessness and power. Those are some of the same traits that Ellenberger believes could eventually help him should he ever earn a chance to fight GSP. Like any top fighter, he'd like to beat the best, and likes his chances against the division's current king. Citing St-Pierre's tendency to "play it safe a little bit," along with his own strengths, Ellenberger thinks he might just be the man to surprise the MMA world again. "GSP is phenomenal, if not the best fighter in world," he said. "He's someone you have to pressure. You definitely have to pressure him. You can't stay back on him and let him control the distance and the range. He's definitely beatable. Him and Jake Shields had a great fight. He's proven. I don't know how many times he defended his title, but anyone can be beat. I'm confident I can beat him. Like I said, anyone can be beat, and to beat a guy like GSP, you'd have to keep pressure and look for some holes. He may not have very many, but they're there." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: fight, shield, jake, ellenberger, title

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Jake Ellenberger needed just 53-seconds to KO recent welterweight title challenger Jake Shields in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 25 main event in New Orleans, which gave Ellenberger his fifth-straight win and Shields back-to-back losses. Video of Ellenberger’s 53-second KO of Shields is below: Was it a good stoppage, or should Shields have been given more time? To check out MMAFrenzy.com’s complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 25, click here. Pictured: Jake Ellenberger (via UFC.com)

Posted in: ufc, shield, jake, ellenberger, ko

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Despite the publicity the Mayweather/Ortiz fight has garnered, and the villains accompanying the fiasco, there were some "heroes" Saturday night. Jake Ellenberger thrashed Jake Shields for a victory that deserves a unique distinction: Shields has only lost to Georges St. Pierre in the six year run that has gained him spots on P4P lists, and with wins over Dan Henderson, Yushin Okami, Martin Kampmann, and Carlos Condit, Shields' resume proves that he's no paper tiger.  Oh you may hear arguments on the contrary: 'Shields was never that good, had an inflated record, and so forth'. But these are all poor, and frankly stupid arguments. Jake Shields has always been flawed, but he's been good enough to hide them while imposing a truly elite ground game. And along comes Ellenberger.  Jake has been on a run that essentially started in 2008. His last loss at the time was to Rick Story. Between then and now, he's only lost to Carlos Condit in a fight that had Condit damn near finished: another ref might have stopped the fight (not to get too hyperbolic, as I think Carlos defended brilliantly, but he took an unreal shot that has knocked out other fighters and had them vomiting, literally as displayed in his Pele win). Jake hasn't been perfect and his back to back fights against John Howard and Carlos Rocha proved as much: his cardio was lacking, and Rocha put him in trouble in the first with a very dynamic grappling game. But he's knocked out one good fighter, and one great fighter in the first round since then. Another big win and he deserves his shot. Ellenberger is part of what Sherdog's Jason Probst calls the New School-Old School Cleave. Which brings us to GSP. For all the sustained beckoning of GSP to test himself and fight Anderson Silva, these fan chants ignore what GSP is leaving behind. As acting champ, GSP will always have something to prove, and that is that he's still the best fighter at WW. But if his past challengers are taking emphatic losses, doesn't it follow that those fighters get their shots? It's always just assumed that GSP has nothing left to prove at WW, but much of that is biased by the attempt at getting him in the ring with Anderson Silva.  However, Jake Ellenberger will get his with another big win. Down the line, GSP's dance card doesn't let up if fate rolls the dice. He still has Carlos Condit to worry about: a fight I've been vocal about in supporting. What happens if Nick Diaz beats B.J. Penn? What if Jon Fitch loses to Johny Hendricks? Could we conceivably see Rory MacDonald fight for the title in a couple of years (assuming they'd do it)? What's interesting about this list of contenders (unlike GSP's previous foes) is that they all have something in common: youthful aggression. This fight mode is likely the only kind that exists in providing a blueprint for how GSP will lose, if he does: someone that can shake his confidence, and rattle him for the finish. This is good news. MMA fans need to stop being such downers. Anderson Silva vs. GSP is an MMA mirage, and always has been. And I think fan anticipation is fueled more by seeing GSP pushed beyond his potential boundaries for being so lackluster with his dominance than actually feeling like the two need the fight for P4P relevance. GSP still has work to do at WW, and I, for one, would like to see him do it. Poll Would you like to see GSP confront some of the emerging new breed at WW before fighting Silva? Absolutely. These are some great fighters to challenge for the title. Wrong. He will win the same way he always does. Unless he fights Silva.   44 votes | Results

Posted in: fight, jake, ellenberger, fighter, gsp

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MMA matchmaking consistently defies expectations and the fight between Jake Shields and Jake Ellenberger on Saturday night was a case in point.It had been...

Posted in: jake shields, mma matchmaking, saturday night, jake ellenberger, jake

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Almost three years. Four title fights, four over-matched opponents. Zero finishes. Not since BJ Penn's corner waved off the fight back at UFC 94 in January of 2009 has welterweight king Georges St. Pierre finished a contest. No matter how outclassed and dominated the opponent, it has become almost a given that GSP title defenses will go the full five rounds with little intrigue throughout. That is partially a testament to how much distance St. Pierre has put between himself and the rest of the division. I, however, believe it speaks to either some sort of psychological or physical impediment that has stymied GSP and prevented him from realizing his stratospheric maximum potential. GSP hasn't truly been threatened since Matt Serra knocked him out in 2007. Of his recent title defenses, none have seemed a true challenge. Thiago Alves, although a fighter of great talent, has proven to be far from the wrecking machine many assumed him to be. Dan Hardy has been revealed as a mediocre fighter capable of losing by almost any means. Josh Koscheck was already a one-trick pony, a whole lot of KO power but not much ability to use it. And Jake Shields's durability (once deemed tremendous, even by me, despite the fact that Dan Henderson floored him twice before gassing) was more than exposed by a surging yet unheralded Jake Ellenburger in New Orleans last night at UFC Fight Night 25. Many have speculated the recklessness that led to his defeat against Serra has since been so scaled back that he's become overly cautious.It may be a valid theory.  GSP's diverse talents -- a dynamic striking attack augmented by the best wrestling in the division -- should be quite enough to finish these opponents. But, the sort of killer instinct Jake Ellenburger demonstrated last night is something that's been sorely lacking from St. Pierre's game for almost three years now. I can only hope he finds it soon, because upstarts like Ellenburger are anxious to make their name against GSP, and seem to be as hungry as the champ once was in his chase for the title.

Posted in: fight, jake shields, jake, title, gsp

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Ellenberger has made a swift rise in the UFC’s welterweight division, leaving Shields in the dust.

Posted in: ufc, shield, jake, division, brydon

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One well-placed knee was all Jake Ellenberger needed to bring down Jake Shields.

Posted in: jake shields, shield, jake ellenberger, jake, ellenberger

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Jake Ellenberger may have entered the Octagon as an underdog on Saturday night, but he walked away from the cage as only the second man to beat Jake Shields in over six years.

Posted in: jake shields, shield, saturday night, jake ellenberger, jake

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Jake Ellenberger knocked out fellow welterweight contender Jake Shields in just 53-seconds on Saturday in the main event of “UFC Fight Night 25: Battle on the Bayou” in New Orleans. Ellenberger dropped Shields with a knee to the head from the clinch and quickly finished the recent title challenger and former Strikeforce champion with a number of unanswered punches on the ground. Ellenberger (25-5) moves closer to a shot at the welterweight title currently held by Georges St-Pierre after earning his fifth-straight UFC win in impressive fashion after dropping his Octagon debut to upcoming challenger Carlos Condit, while Shields (26-6-1) has now lost back-to-back fights to fall to 1-2 in the UFC. In other action on the Spike-televised main card, The Ultimate Fighter 11 winner Court McGee remained unbeaten in the UFC with a unanimous decision over Dongi Yang, Erik Koch earned a unanimous decision to spoil TUF 12 winner Jonathan Brookins‘ return to featherweight, and Alan Belcher ended his 16-month layoff with a first-round TKO of Jason MacDonald. The UFC Fight Night 25 preliminary card featured wins by Vagner Rocha, Evan Dunham, Lance Benoist, Ken Stone, Seth Baczynski, TJ Waldburger, Robert Peralta, and Justin Edwards. The complete UFC Fight Night 25 results included: MAIN CARD (Spike TV) Jake Ellenberger def. Jake Shields via TKO (knee and punches) – Round 1, 0:53 Court McGee def. Dongi Yang via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-28) Erik Koch def. Jonathan Brookins via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27) Alan Belcher def. Jason MacDonald via verbal submission (punches) – Round 1, 3:48 PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook) Vagner Rocha def. Cody McKenzie via submission (rear naked choke) – Round 2, 3:49 Evan Dunham def. Shamar Bailey via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Lance Benoist def. Matt Riddle via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Ken Stone def. Donny Walker via technical submission (rear naked choke) – Round 1, 2:40 Seth Baczynski def. Clay Harvison via submission (rear naked choke) – Round 2, 1:12 TJ Waldburger def. Mike Stumpf via submission (triangle choke) – Round 1, 3:52 Robert Peralta def. Mike Lullo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) Justin Edwards def. Jorge Lopez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Pictured: Jake Elenberger

Posted in: ufc, jake, ellenberger, round, decision

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Welterweight Jake (The Juggernaut) Ellenberger made short work of Jake Shields on Saturday night in the UFC's "Battle on the Bayou, stopping him in just 53 seconds.

Posted in: jake shields, saturday night, jake, shields ko, welterweight jake

Read the full article at sportsnet.ca