Jake Ellenberger on WSN's Wise Kracks: “Mom Kicked My Bro and I Out of the House for MMA Fighting"

Any fighter who has ever dared to step into the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) octagon to take on a mixed martial arts opponent understands the blood sweat and tears it requires just to get that opportunity.

One such fighter hails from Omaha, Nebraska – Jacob Steven “Jake” Ellenberger – the 5’9” 170-lb former welterweight who battled in the UFC 46 total times and walked away with 31 wins, 19 by knockout, 6 by submission.

Jake, a former United States Marine and now a retired mixed martial artist is our guest on the Wise Kracks podcast with hosts Bill Krackomberger and Jon Orlando who had a blast talking to the retired UFC warrior who had some wise (and some funny) insights to share.

The guys talk about the last big UFC event, Usman beat Burns, much to the chagrin of Bill’s bankroll.

A pro competitor since back in 2005, Ellenberger has formerly competed for the Quad Cities Silverbacks of the IFL, Bodog Fight, and King of the Cage.

On the show, he talks about the start of his career, what it takes to make it in MMA, and his original goal as a brand new mixed martial arts fighter.

When Jake and his brother were first starting out as MMA fighters, they both lived at home with their mother, who was not a big fan of mixed martial arts. So much so, in fact, that at one point Jake admits that his mother drew the line in the worst possible way:

“In 2004, I was still living with my mom and she kicked my brother Joe and I out of the house. She said, if you’re going to do this, you’re not going to live here.”

When Jon Orlando asks Jake about how he started out, the fighter talks about how he and most of his peers first caught the MMA bug:

“I started like most fighters, I was a fan first. MMA was still new.”

For a man who had 46 professional fights in the UFC, it is fascinating to hear Jake talk about his original thoughts and goals for being a pro-MMA fighter for a living:

“My first fight was in 2009 when I first started fighting, I was in college. My original goal was to get one fight in the UFC. I said, if I could fight in the UFC, that would be my accomplishment.”

When host Bill questions the retired winner about what it takes to make it in MMA, and in the UFC especially, Jake is brutally honest about how it takes not only talent and determination but also some other factors that fans might not realize:

“It comes down to who manages you, who you know, and if you’re a showstopper, if you’re incredibly fun to watch or have a personality, they will certainly draw an interest.”

Listen to more of Wise Kracks for weekly sports betting tips from professional sports bettor Bill Krackomberger and his co-host Jon Orlando.