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A little less than four months into his retirement, Jake Ellenberger still is trying to figure things out.

It’s hard to hold that too much against him. After all, Ellenberger (31-15 MMA, 10-11 UFC) had 36 pro fights in his MMA career, nearly half of which came under the biggest banner in the business in the UFC.

Ellenberger called it quits in August after a first-round knockout loss to Bryan Barberena. It was his fourth straight setback, all by knockout. But with the losses piling up – he dropped nine of his final 11 – he made the choice to move on.

Now, at 33, Ellenberger said he’s able to enjoy things a little bit more, even if he’s still working on what will come next, officially.

“I’m kind of sorting through a few things right now – opportunities,” Ellenberger recently told MMAjunkie Radio. “Lot of dad (time). But I’m enjoying it, though. It’s a lot of fun. There are no expectations right now. I can train and enjoy it and have fun.

“… I enjoy working with people that I like – helping coach, give back, doing what I can do. I’m not the guy that’s going to teach a class. But if there are guys I like that I can help, of course I’m going to help them. That’s been fun.”

Ellenberger is based in the Los Angeles area. But the Nebraska native could wind up back home – or even in Las Vegas, the fight capital of the world.

One thing he knows for sure, though: He would like to stick around in the fight game, one way or another, for the next phase of his career.

“I would like to (stay in the sports world), yeah, definitely,” he said. “I’m not going to claim to know other sports outside combat sports. I’m open, but I think I’ll stay in combat sports. I’d like to stay in the combat sports world.”

Hear more from Ellenberger in the video above, including his details of a morale trip to visit U.S. troops in Iraq.

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

MMAjunkie Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT) live from Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino’s Race & Sports Book. The show is hosted by “Gorgeous” George Garcia, Brian “Goze” Garcia and Dan Tom. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio.