https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oM21dN9HTwg
Jake Ellenberger suffered a TKO loss at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 24 Finale in bizarre fashion. The veteran welterweight bruiser took on Jorge Masvidal inside the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. During the fight, “The Juggernaut” pushed forward, but somehow got his foot stuck between the canvas and the bottom of the fence.
Masvidal teed off on Ellenberger and referee Herb Dean halted the bout for a timeout. That timeout ended up being the end of the fight as there was no rule stating a fight can be temporarily halted due to a cage malfunction. As a result, Masvidal was awarded with a TKO win.
Ellenberger appealed the outcome, but it fell on deaf ears. The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NAC) dismissed the appeal (via The MMA Underground). Here’s what Executive Director Bob Bennett had to say regarding the NAC’s dismissal:
“There is no provision in NAC 467 that prevents referees from calling a timeout to consult with other officials prior to rendering a decision. NAC 467 does not include a provision that requires the continuation of contests in such circumstances. Alleged precedent does not provide grounds for a change of a referee’s decision.”
It’s a tough break for Ellenberger, who hasn’t been able to replicate the success he had during his six-fight winning streak from early 2010 through early 2012. He’s gone 2-6 in his last eight bouts and has been finished four times in that span.
“The Juggernaut” had been briefly cut by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in March 2016. Ellenberger was able to convince UFC President Dana White to keep his job. He was given another chance and made the most of it by knocking out Matt Brown at UFC 201. It was his first win since Feb. 2015 against Josh Koscheck.
It’ll be interesting to see if the result of Ellenberger’s last fight will send him packing for good.
