• TUF 15 Finale

Ellenberger won't hang around for UFC title shot

Jake Ellenberger has won his last six fights © Getty Images

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Jake Ellenberger will take on all challengers once he deals with the obstacle of Martin Kampmann this weekend, insisting he would rather fight than wait around for a title shot.

Ellenberger and Kampmann both believe Friday's main event should be deemed a No. 1 contender bout. Interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit is waiting to fight reigning champion Georges St-Pierre at the back end of the year, so the victor of this weekend's fight could force himself into that picture.

However, if the ongoing delay to the Condit v St-Pierre bout continues to stagnate the top of the 170lb division, Ellenberger insists he won't be scared of fighting others until his shot at UFC gold arrives.

"I've never been one to want to wait, especially when I'm doing well," Ellenberger said. "The whole reason I'm in this sport is to become world champion. Getting that fight is ideal, but at the same time I don't want to sit out six months or a year."

Ellenberger has also moved to allay concerns over his cardio, with Friday's battle a five-rounder. There were suggestions he tired badly in the third round of his last outing against Diego Sanchez, when Sanchez almost locked on a late submission, but Ellenberger insists his fitness is not in question.

"The thing about that [Sanchez] fight is he got me in a bad situation," Ellenberger said. "He's a phenomenal fighter. He's a phenomenal grappler. My shape felt good. I got out of the position. I feel like I could have gone five if I had to.

"There's a difference between getting tired and gassing. If you're gassing, your conditioning is wrong. If you're getting tired, you're working and trying to finish the fight.

"I'm always trying to finish the fight. It's going to take a lot of work to finish a fight."

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