UFC on Fuel: Jake Ellenberger Is Embracing Fighting at Home, Looking for a Title

For a fighter who is on the brink of earning a UFC title shot, Jake Ellenberger looks as calm as he possibly could be.

Ellenberger is set to fight Diego Sanchez in this week’s UFC on Fuel TV main event, in a bout that will have huge title implications and to top it off, it’s in Ellenberger’s hometown of Omaha, Neb.

Still, Ellenberger is more comfortable than most would think.

“You know people think there’s more pressure being at home, but for me it’s more comfortable, it’s been easy. It’s not like being in Vegas with all the lights and people, it’s more relaxing here. I think it makes it a little less stressful being here,” Ellenberger said at today's open workouts

Ellenberger will obviously have the hometown crowd behind him, even against a fan favorite like Sanchez, and the pressure will definitely be on “The Juggernaut” to put on an impressive performance.

Currently riding a five-fight win streak, with a huge knockout win over Jake Shields coming in his last bout, Ellenberger arguably has more momentum than any fighter in the division, and a win over Sanchez will validate his spot at the head of the pack of challengers.

After over 30 fights and numerous setbacks, Ellenberger is finally getting his chance to become a star, and it’s something he is taking seriously.

“I’ve really put in the work, I have been around the sport a long time and the hard work and traveling the hard road is really paying off. This is a big opportunity for me. I’m looking one fight at a time until I get the title shot. I’m not thinking much past Wednesday, but my goal has always been a world title.”

A win this week could easily lead to a shot at that world title he’s been aiming for, as well as a rematch with Carlos Condit, who recently won the UFC’s interim welterweight belt.

As Condit was the man who gave Ellenberger a loss in his UFC debut back in 2009, it is obviously a fight Ellenberger would welcome.

But to hear it from Jake, he has no preference who he fights, as long as he gets his shot at the belt:

“He’s [Condit] proved that he should be there, he deserves it. It's not like he was just put there, he’s definitely earned it. I have to get past Diego and then hopefully I can get Condit or even GSP down the road here.”

Regardless of the outcome against Sanchez, Ellenberger has officially made himself a contender in one of the UFC's deepest divisions, and he will remain a title threat for years to come at 170.

But if all goes well for him on Wednesday night, his hometown fans could be left cheering as he marches towards his shot at UFC gold.