Jared Cannonier has swiftly emerged as a formidable force in the middleweight division. He opposes the notion of a Sean Strickland and Israel Adesanya rematch The shockingly impressive victory of Strickland over Adesanya has undeniably piqued the interest of fans and pundits.
Cannonier weighed in as backup for UFC 293 and has also contested for the title at UFC 276. In his recent bout, he defeated Marvin Vettori in a record-breaking performance. The fight saw “Killa Gorilla” breaking several records in the division.
Jared Cannonier calls out Sean Strickland
Cannonier stands firm in his belief that can triumph over Strickland once more. This conviction diverges sharply from the perspective of UFC President Dana White who in a post-fight media interview showed his interest in a rematch. The fourth-ranked middleweight called for a title shot on Instagram with a post openly calling out Dana White to make it happen.
Cannonier’s argument for a title shot is further compounded by the impending showdown between Paulo Costa and Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294. This upcoming clash looms large on the horizon and it may determine the next challenger in line for a middleweight championship bout. Another contender who has a bigger case for a title shot is Dricus Du Plessis who was the original contender for UFC 293.
Cannonier Benches Izzy: ‘I Already Beat The Champion’ https://t.co/tLrldDDIfg
— MMA Mania (@mmamania) September 13, 2023
Jared Cannonier has lost only to Robert Whitaker and Israel Adesanya at middleweight. Moreover, he holds a notable split decision victory over current champion, Sean Strickland. He made his UFC debut at heavyweight and has also competed at light heavyweight but middleweight is where the Alaskan fighter found his true calling.
Jared Cannonier vs. Sean Strickland head-to-head
Jared Cannonier is 1-0 against Sean Strickland. They fought at the main event of UFC Fight Night 216 on December 17, 2022. All the judges held the scorecard of 49-46 with only one going in the direction of Strickland. Both fighters were coming off losses preluding to the fight.
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“Tarzan” was knocked out by Alex Periera whilst Cannonier was fresh off an unsuccessful title challenge against Israel Adesanya with both fights happening at UFC 276. The fight was extremely close with Eric Nicksick, the head coach of Strickland believing that Strickland lost the fight on optics. Nicksick did not allow it to happen at UFC 293 against Israel Adesanya. Strickland outstruck Cannonier in the fight but it seemed like “Killa Gorilla” landed strikes that seemingly looked more powerful. Moreover, a cut on the nose of Strickland too did not help his case.
Cannonier Official As UFC 293 Backup https://t.co/YCTiuO0qIb
— MMA Mania (@mmamania) September 4, 2023
Even though Cannonier holds a victory over Strickland, it is not enough, as the UFC has the final say in who fights for the title. Cannonier is 39 years old, but his most magnificent performance came against 29-year-old Marvin Vettori in his most recent fight in the UFC. The fourth-ranked middleweight weighing in as a backup has to amount to something, as Colby Covington got the title shot immediately after being the backup for Edwards vs.Usman III.
Do you think Jared Cannonier gets the title shot next over Dricus Du Plessis, Khamzat Chimaev, or Paulo Costa? Comment your predictions down below.
