Jake "The Juggernaut" Ellenberger's right knee set the table for a series of left hands that quickly ended the night for Jake Shields at the Ultimate Fighting Championship's show on Saturday.
Ellenberger (25-5) defeated Shields (26-6-1) via technical knockout just 53 seconds into the main event of UFC Fight Night 25 in New Orleans. It's the fifth consecutive victory for Ellenberger, and second straight loss for Shields.
"I'm feeling unbelievable," Ellenberger said. "It feels great."
Jake Ellenberger has won five of six UFC fights.
CAPTIONBy Julie Jacobson, The Canadian Press via APComing off a quick knockout of Sean Pierson in April, Ellenberger wanted to win with his strikes, while staying away from Shields' strengths as a grappler.
Shields tried to clinch for takedowns. But Ellenberger, a skilled wrestler in his own right, shrugged them off, even throwing Shields to the ground at one point.
As Shields continued to press forward, Ellenberger grabbed the back of his head for a Muay Thai clinch and landed a left knee to the torso, followed by a right knee to the face that dropped Shields. With Shields clinging to his leg, Ellenberger followed with repeated left punches to the face until referee Kevin Mulhall stopped the fight.
Shields was disoriented enough to attempt a single-leg takedown on Mulhall after the fight was halted.
The defeat of Shields is Ellenberger's first win over a top-10 opponent. The USA TODAY/MMA Nation consensus rankings list Shields and Ellenberger as Nos. 3 and 16 among welterweights.
Saturday's event came three weeks after the death of Shields' father and manager, Jack Shields.
Welterweight fighter Court McGee earned a unanimous decision against Dongi Yang in the co-main event. After a close first round, McGee outstruck Yang in the second round and took him down twice in the third.
Alan "The Talent" Belcher (17-6) returned from a 16-month layoff to pummel fellow middleweight Jason "The Athlete" MacDonald. After a takedown attempt by MacDonald, Belcher found himself in top position on the ground and started firing punches until MacDonald told the referee he had enough.
Belcher connected with 39 power strikes on the ground, according to Compstrike.
Also at UFC's show Saturday:
• Erik Koch def. Jonathan Brookins via unanimous decision
• Vagner Rocha def. Cody McKenzie via 2nd-round rear-naked choke
• Evan Dunham def. Shamar Bailey via unanimous decision
• Lance Benoist def. Matt Riddle via unanimous decision
• Ken Stone def. Donny Walker via 1st-round rear-naked choke
• Seth Baczynski def. Clay Harvison via 2nd-round rear-naked choke
• T.J. Waldburger def. Mike Stumpf via 1st-round triangle choke
• Robert Peralta def. Mike Lullo via unanimous decision
• Justin Edwards def. Jorge Lopez via unanimous decision
