Jon Fitch set to take on Jake Ellenberger at UFC 126

UFC welterweight contenders Jon Fitch and Jake Ellengerger are set to fight at the UFC 126 card in the Mandalay Bay events Centre in Las Vegas Nevada, on February 5th 2011. This may come as a bit of a shock to some, as Fitch has previously stated that he’d liked to have fought the winner of the Jake Shields and Martin Kampmann fight that Shields won via decision at UFC 121. 

Fitch was also promised a title shot if he was victorious against dangerous Brazilian striker Thiago Alves, in which he was and yet no sign of a title shot for the talented wrestler, who fights out of the American Kickboxing Academy. Fitch’s only loss in his UFC career came at the hands of current welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre at UFC 87 back in 2008, and since then has gone on a five-fight unbeaten streak, although many have criticised Fitch as all of his wins since his sole defeat have came by way of decision, and maybe that is playing a factor in Dana White‘s hesitant approach to give him another shot at the title. 

Whereas a relatively unknown Jake Ellenberger will get to step up his game in the UFC welterweight division, by taking on Fitch. Ellenberger has an impressive record of 22 wins and 5 losses, with 15 of those wins coming by way of KO or TKO. He has had just 3 fights in the UFC to date, his first fight was against former WEC welterweight Champion Carlos ‘The Natural Born Killer’ Condit which he lost by split decision. But since then Ellenberger has disposed of UFC veteran Mike Pyle, and John Howard both by way of technical knockout en route to his climb up the welterweight ladder, and will now face his toughest test to date in a very game Jon Fitch, and if he can pull off the upset it will throw him right into the mix of the UFC 170lb division. 

This is in many eyes a surprise match-up, as many were expecting Fitch to take on the winner of the Georges St. Pierre and Josh Koshcheck title fight, and even in light of Carlos Condit’s recent comments, stating that he wants to fight Fitch, the UFC have opted for this fight instead, Dana White must be trying to shake up the UFC welterweight division, that Georges St. Pierre is currently dominating. 

Source: MMAJUNKIE