Jake Ellenberger reveals reason behind Carlos Condit callout for UFC 171

Fans can sometimes be brilliant matchmakers. So, too, can fighters.

In the case of what’s next for Jake Ellenberger, he’s down with what the fans have been asking for – and said he’s been putting more than a few bugs in the ears of UFC matchmaker Joe Silva and President Dana White.

Ellenberger said Sunday on Twitter that if the fans want to see him fight Carlos Condit again, he’d be up for the challenge. On Monday, he told MMAjunkie Radio just why he wants the rematch.

Ellenberger (29-7 MMA, 8-3 UFC) and Condit (29-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC) first met more than four years ago in Oklahoma City on a “Fight Night” card when Ellenberger made his UFC debut on short notice, steeping in for an injured Chris Lytle. Condit walked away with a split-decision win. Then Ellenberger went on a six-fight streak that had him on the cusp of a title shot.

Now the welterweight would love to go three hours south of that original meeting to meet Condit again when UFC 171 takes place March 15 in Dallas.

“That’s the card,” Ellenberger told MMAjunkie Radio. “It’s a good timeline for me. March is actually my birthday month, as well. It would be a good timeframe, and that’s what I’m trying to get.”

But it’s just that UFC 171 works out well for Ellenberger’s current recovery from a hamstring injury that knocked him out of the UFC Fight Night 34 main event against Tarec Saffiedine next month. That’s more key to things than the location.

But make no mistake – the opponent plays a very major part in this, and it appears to be more about moving back up the welterweight rankings to work toward a title shot than avenging a past loss.

“For me, it’s not really about where I’m fighting or the card,” Ellenberger said. “It’s all about rankings. Everybody in the Top 10 is really locked up, it seems like right now. I was getting overwhelmed with people messaging me saying, ‘You and Condit, we want to see you guys fight again.’ Definitely. He’s been one of the top guys in the division. He was my UFC debut about four years ago, and I took that fight on short notice. But I had nothing to lose, and here we are and we’re both completely different fighters.”

The recent announcement that welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre was going to vacate his belt to take time away from the sport created a ripple effect. That means Johny Hendricks, the most recent title challenger who in November dropped a controversial decision to the champ, gets a shot at the belt against Robbie Lawler in the UFC 171 main event.

In the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA welterweight rankings, that means No. 1 (St-Pierre) is out. No. 2 Hendricks and No. 11 Lawler are booked. No. 4 Nick Diaz is retired – and on Saturday night turned down a chance to fight Condit. No. 5 Rory MacDonald, who beat Ellenberger in July, is booked to meet No. 8 Demian Maia. So No. 3 Condit and No. 6 Ellenberger are both apparently free.

“We’ve been talking to Joe, and I’ve been texting Dana,” Ellenberger said. “Nothing’s been confirmed. I know it’s going through their heads, and I know they want to book him. At the same time, why do I want to fight Condit? I don’t want to waste my time in the sport. Why would I want to fight a No. 20 guy? There’s no relevance, and there’s no point. I want to fight for the title next year, and the only way to do that is fight the best guys – and Condit’s there. I’ve been very forward and very precise that I want this fight. But at the end of the day, they’ve got to agree. There aren’t many other options out there.”

Ellenberger said his recovery from the hamstring injury that knocked him from the Saffiedine fight continues, in part thanks to work with the physical therapist from the Anaheim Ducks NHL team. He estimated that he would be ready to start training at 100 percent within a month, which would make UFC 171 a solid possibility.

And if that happens, he’ll be hoping to have a big rebound from his July loss to MacDonald, a fight that had White and many others critical of not just his performance, but of MacDonald’s, as well.

“It’s so true when they say you’re only as good as your last fight,” Ellenberger said. “I’ve been so close to getting that title shot, but it hasn’t quite worked out. It’s just consistently making adjustments. It’s the hardest sport in the world to be consistent at. Just seeing how much the division has changed since the Hendricks and St-Pierre card, it’s exciting.

“I still know I put together two wins, and I could be fighting for the title.”

For the latest on UFC 171, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

MMAjunkie Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) live from Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino’s Race & Sports Book. The show is hosted by “Gorgeous” George Garcia, MMAjunkie lead staff reporter John Morgan and producer Brian “Goze” Garcia. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio.