Ellenberger Plans to Match Sanchez’s Conditioning

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When Jake Ellenberger first heard that he would be headlining a UFC in his hometown against Diego Sanchez, he didn’t believe it.

“I was actually surprised,” he told the Sherdog Radio Network’s “Savage Dog Show.” “I didn’t know if the UFC was going back to Omaha, where I’m from. They said, ‘Yeah, you’re going to fight Diego, and it’s going to be in Omaha.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, right. Shut up.’”

No, really. Ellenberger will fight Sanchez in the main event of UFC on Fuel 1, which takes place Feb. 15 at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Neb. He expects plenty of family and friends to attend, and he also expects a battle from Sanchez.

“For starters, I’m going to have to address his pace and conditioning,” Ellenberger said. “That’s something I’m going to have to match. We could potentially be in a high-paced fight. … He always comes in great shape. He just looks like a guy who loves to fight.”

Sanchez has won two straight since rejoining Greg Jackson’s camp. In his win over Paulo Thiago in particular, he showed considerable heart and conditioning. Ellenberger also respects Sanchez’s ground game, but he plans on making him fight on the feet.

“For me, a lot of it is being able to work my strategy and have him play more to my strengths,” Ellenberger said. “I’m definitely looking to strike and kickbox with him. But for me, the most important thing is to be in the best shape possible to be able to fight at that pace for three rounds.”

Ellenberger will enter the bout on a five-fight win streak. Most recently he stopped a former welterweight title challenger in Jake Shields, and in Sanchez he’ll be taking on a former lightweight title challenger. With another win, he could be knocking on the door to his own title shot.

“I’m really just completely focused on Diego,” Ellenberger said. “He’s another tough fight, and once again I’ve got to prove that I’m one of the best in the world to even be considered for that title.”

But with that said, Ellenberger has noticed that the only man to beat him in the UFC -- Carlos Condit -- will be fighting for the interim welterweight belt against Nick Diaz on Feb. 4. If the UFC wants to give him a rematch against Condit down the line, he’ll take it. For now, though, he’s happy to be fighting Sanchez in Omaha.

“Condit is definitely a fight I would like to get again, but a lot of it’s out of my control,” Ellenberger said. “I can’t choose who I fight and I can’t choose when I fight. That’s out of my control. They gave me Diego, and what better place to be than in my hometown?”

Listen to the full interview (beginning at 1:42:15).