Back to the MMA Newsfeed

Ben Saunders will replace the injured Bryan Barberena at UFC Utica, as he takes on Jake Ellenberger.

The veteran welterweight was expected to face Bryan Barberena, but a Barberena injury nixed that idea. Instead, Ellenberger will now take on Ben Saunders, UFC officials announced on Thursday.

Ellenberger (31-13) has won just two of his last nine fights, and is coming off a brutal KO loss to Mike Perry last April. “The Juggernaut” hasn’t experienced victory since stopping Matt Brown with strikes in the summer of 2016.

Saunders (21-9-2) is also on a two-fight losing streak, having been knocked out by both Peter Sobotta and most recently Alan Jouban.