Shields, Ellenberger on Target for UFC Fight Night 25

Less than three weeks after the death of his father, former Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields climbed on to the scales in New Orleans and did what he does best: he got ready to fight.

Shields checked in at 171 pounds for his showdown with the surging Jake Ellenberger (170) in the UFC Fight Night 25 main event on Saturday at the Ernest N. Morial Convention center in New Orleans. The six other men slated for duty on the televised card, including co-headliners Dongi Yang (186) and “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 11 winner Court McGee (184.5), also met their contracted weight requirements at Friday’s official weigh-in.

A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Cesar Gracie, Shields has posted 15 wins in his past 16 outings. He last appeared at UFC 129 in April, when he failed in his bid to dethrone welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre and lost a unanimous decision before a partisan crowd at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. The 32-year-old Californian has held titles in Strikeforce, EliteXC and Shooto, and in nearly 12 years as a professional, he has never suffered consecutive defeats. One of the sport’s most accomplished two-division standouts, Shields holds wins over reigning Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Dan Henderson, former UFC middleweight title contender Yushin Okami, onetime EliteXC middleweight boss Robbie Lawler, Japanese stalwart Hayato Sakurai, Team Rough House representative Paul Daley and former WEC welterweight champion Carlos Condit.

Ellenberger will carry a four-fight winning streak into the match. A potent finisher, particularly standing, the 26-year-old Omaha, Neb., native has secured more than half (15) of his 24 career victories by knockout or technical knockout. Ellenberger has not competed since he needed a little more than half a round to dispatch Sean Pierson at UFC 129. He has been finished only once -- by former Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion Delson Heleno -- in 29 professional outings.

UFC Fight Night 25 -- which airs live on Spike TV at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT -- will also feature a featherweight tilt pitting “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 12 winner Jonathan Brookins (145.5) against promising Roufusport prospect Erik Koch (146) and a middleweight matchup pairing Alan Belcher (186) with Canadian veteran Jason MacDonald (185).

The UFC will provide a live stream on its Facebook page for the eight preliminary bouts at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT.

UFC Fight Night 25
Saturday, Sept. 17
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
New Orleans

Jake Shields (171) vs. Jake Ellenberger (170)
Court McGee (184.5) vs. Dongi Yang (186)
Jonathan Brookins (145.5) vs. Erik Koch (146)
Alan Belcher (186) vs. Jason MacDonald (185)
Cody McKenzie (155.5) vs. Vagner Rocha (155.5)
Evan Dunham (156) vs. Shamar Bailey (156)
Matt Riddle (171) vs. Lance Benoist (170.5)
Ken Stone (136) vs. Donny Walker (135.5)
Clay Harvison (170) vs. Seth Baczynski (171)
T.J. Waldburger (171) vs. Mike Stumpf (171)
Mike Lullo (146) vs. Robert Peralta (145.5)
Justin Edwards (171) vs. Jorge Lopez (171)