White: UFC cut Ellenberger, briefly
UFC boss cut Ellenberger before win
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UFC welterweight Jake Ellenberger lost to Rory MacDonald, then Robbie Lawler, then Kelvin Gastelum, before choking out a diminished Josh Koscheck. Then he lost to Stephen Thompson, and Tarec Saffiedine.
That was five losses in six fights. He was released from his contract by the UFC.
“With the UFC, we had cut him,” revealed White on Saturday night, as transcribed by Luke Thomas for MMA Fighting. “He flew out to Las Vegas and he met with me and said, ‘Don’t cut me, please.’ He said, ‘Give me one more shot. I promise I will come out and deliver.'”
So White gave him one more chance, a fight with Matt Brown at UFC 201 Saturday night, but not without doubts.
“I didn’t know what to expect from him,” said White said. “I said in the standup with [UFC commentator Joe] Rogan before the fights started, if he comes out and does what he’s capable of doing, then this is going to be a very fun fight.”
Jake Ellenberger came out and did what he’s capable of.
“We put him against Matt Brown and he came out and delivered,” said White, accurately.
Brown had been ranked #9. Ellenber was outside the top 15. It is not know if the win will push him into the top 10, but it was his first win since February 28, 2015.
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