Ellenberger returns, will fight Barberena at UFC Utica

Jake Ellenberger will take his first UFC fight in over a year at the UFC’s event in upstate New York.

It seemed like veteran welterweight Jake Ellenberger may have been stepping away from the UFC for a little while, but that is not the case after all. He has been added to the UFC Utica card in June, where he will fight Bryan Barberena.

The UFC recently confirmed the matchup.

Ellenberger (31-13, 10-9 UFC) will be competing in his 20th UFC bout. He hasn’t been that effective lately, losing four out of his last five and seven of nine overall. His last bout was a second-round knockout loss to Mike Perry in Nashville last April.

Barberena (13-5, 4-3 UFC) has been out of the cage since a September decision loss to Leon Edwards. Barberena holds a win over Ellenberger’s brother Joe, in his UFC debut back in 2014.

UFC Utica, or UFC Fight Night 31 if you prefer, goes down June 1st in the Adirondack Bank Center. It will be headlined by a big bantamweight bout between Marlon Moraes and Jimmie Rivera.