UFC
Jake Ellenberger steps up to replace Brian Foster against Sean Pierson at UFC 129 in Toronto
Apr 13, 2011 - 7:46:40 PM Jake Ellenberger steps up to replace Brian Foster against Sean Pierson at UFC 129 in Toronto

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Jake Ellenberger has stepped up on just over two week's notice and will replace Brian Foster against Sean Pierson at UFC 129 in Toronto on April 30.

Foster was forced out of the event when a pre-fight MRI revealed that he had a brain hemorrhage that needs to heal and may require surgery, and the UFC announced the replacement on Wednesday.

Ellenberger is coming off a very close split decision win against Carlos Eduardo Rocha at UFC 126 in February, a fight that included one of the most thrilling rounds of MMA action in the last year. The win was his third straight in the Octagon after dropping a split decision to Carlos Condit in his UFC debut.

Pierson made his UFC debut in December with a win over Ultimate Fighter alum Matt Riddle at UFC 124. The longtime Canadian veteran picked up his sixth straight win in that fight, and though his fighting year in 2010 ended on a high note, he was then released from a position as a police officer in Toronto shortly thereafter. Now training full time, he'll take a big leap in competition from Riddle to Ellenberger in this matchup.

UFC 129 takes place from the Rogers Centre in Toronto on April 30, headlined by the Welterweight Championship bout between Georges St. Pierre and Jake Shields.

Penick's Analysis: That's a hell of a late replacement fighter to get with just over two weeks until the event, and despite less time to prepare, I think Pierson's in trouble here. Rocha gave Ellenberger some fits on the ground in their fight in February, but Ellenberger is a fairly complete and well rounded fighter that has a great wrestling game and some very heavy hands. I think most would have jumped at a chance to fight in front of 55,000 fans, and he'll be going into hostile territory against Pierson, but Ellenberger's an extremely dangerous opponent and Pierson should be considered a heavy underdog in this fight.