This Wednesday, Jake Ellenberger meets Diego ‘The Dream’ Sanchez in the octagon for the UFC’s first event on Fuel TV which takes place in Omaha, Nebraska. While a win over Sanchez would elevate Ellenberger’s career, it is unlikely that a victory will be as memorable as receiving the key to his hometown.
Ellenberger is seen as a hometown hero, a fighter who was born and raised in Omaha and continued to help the community as an assistant coach to the now defunct University of Nebraska-Omaha’s wrestling team. The ceremony was headed by David Dover, the deputy Chief of Staff to Mayor Jim Suttle.
Dover had the following to say:
On behalf of Mayor Jim Suttle, the City of Omaha is proud to recognize Jake as a hometown hero, as both a former US Marine and an outstanding athlete.
The elated Ellenberger added:
I’m honored to be recognized by the city I grew up in and fight for. It’s extra pressure to fight in your hometown with all your family and friends in the front row, but I know the support from the local fans will be awesome.
The UFC on Fuel TV prelims kick off on Facebook at 6:20 PM ET. The prelims are headlined by a fight between Jonathan Brookins and Vagner Rocha. The main card has a start time of 8:00 PM ET / 5:00 PM PT.