"This is one of my biggest wins. I can't take anything away from what Jake Shields has done. He's a multiple-time world champion and that's just (the competition) that I want, so I'm going to keep working hard. It happened really fast. In the clinch, I hit him with some knees. Like Mark Munoz and I have been working on, when a guy is on your legs, just strike from every position. I knew he was hurt and I just went for the finish. We've been training so hard. These last eight weeks were hell. They were not fun at all, and it was all for this night. My coaches are there for me all the time. They believe in me. It's hard to believe. The sky is the limit -- that's what they tell me every day, and tonight it really showed. I worked my butt off and it helped out tonight, big time. And that (feels) awesome."

-- Cream rises to the top and surging welterweight contender Jake Ellenberger is showing that each and every time he competes inside the Octagon. His latest adventure resulted in a 53-second knockout over former title challenger and decorated champion Jake Shields, who had previously been stopped via strikes just once in his career ... and that was an entire decade ago. Admittedly enough, Shields was suffering through the mental anguish of losing his father just 18 days prior to last night's (Sept. 17) UFC Fight Night 25 main event in New Orleans, but that shouldn't take away from Ellenberger's impressive performance. Enough so that the "Juggernaut" has undoubtedly vaulted himself into the top seven of the 170-pound division. Anyone care to call Ellenberger a future champion? Or did he just take advantage of a favorable situation? Opinions, please.