Tag: Jared Cannonier

Michael Bisping: Sean Strickland’s coach wants Jared Cannonier next because he’s the ‘easiest fight’

Michael Bisping thinks Eric Nicksick is tactically targeting Jared Cannonier for Sean Strickland’s first title defense.

[autotag]Michael Bisping[/autotag] thinks Eric Nicksick is tactically targeting [autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag] for Sean Strickland’s first title defense.

Strickland (28-5 MMA, 15-5 UFC) came up big as an underdog when he dethroned middleweight champion Israel Adesanya (24-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) in a definitive unanimous decision win this past Saturday at UFC 293.

Strickland’s most recent loss came in a split decision to Cannonier (17-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC), when “The Killa Gorilla” edged him out in a five-round battle this past December. In a recent interview with The Schmo, Nicksick made a case for Cannonier to be next in line, and Bisping says there’s a reason for that.

“Sean Strickland’s coach, he wants the next person to be Jared Cannonier,” Bisping said on his YouTube channel. “He says, UFC obviously whatever they’re going to do, they’re going to do, but I said Jared Cannonier for a number of reasons. No. 1, he did beat us. Now of course, it was a split decision, but on that record, we got beat, and I think there were things that we didn’t do correctly in that fight that caused us to lose.'”

Outside of an Adesanya rematch, Strickland has options. There’s Cannonier, who called out Strickland for a title-shot rematch. Also campaigning for a shot is Dricus Du Plessis, as well as a pivotal middleweight clash between Khamzat Chimaev and Paulo Costa which takes place at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi.

But out of all the options, Bisping respectfully thinks Cannonier is being viewed as the easiest one for Strickland.

“Don’t take this the wrong way if you hear this, Mr. Eric Nicksick. It seems like they’re trying to pick him because, I don’t know, it was a split decision,” Bisping said. “A lot of people thought Sean Strickland won that fight, right, and Khamzat Chimaev is an absolute monster.

“Dricus Du Plessis is an absolute monster, and you never know. That might be the easiest fight, and that sounds insulting to Jared Cannonier. I’m not being insulting. What I’m saying is, they know they had a really close fight.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 293.

Jared Cannonier calls for rematch with UFC champ Sean Strickland: ‘Here’s your chance to redeem your man card’

Jared Cannonier has called out UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland.

[autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag] has called out UFC middleweight champion [autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag].

Since losing to then champ Israel Adesanya at UFC 276, Cannonier has rebounded with back-to-back wins – one of them a split decision against Strickland. Cannonier (17-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC) edged out Strickland in a five-round battle this past December, a fight Strickland thought he won.

Strickland (28-5 MMA, 15-5 UFC) went on to score two straight wins over Nassourdine Imavov and Abus Magomedov, before getting the short-notice call to challenge Adesanya for the title. Strickland surprised the masses by dethroning Adesanya at UFC 293, and now Cannonier wants his title shot.

“If you’re a true hand to hand combat fan like me and not in it for the 🤡 ass actors and their theatrics, then you know this is the fight to make. I beat the champ and got two checks to prove it. He wasn’t walking me down screaming in my face either. Nobody does that to me. The only other MW to beat him has ascended. He fought him differently than he fought me as well. 🤔. On top of that he said it himself that he ‘fought like a b*tch’ so here’s your chance to redeem your man card @strickland_mma_ let’s actually do the man dance brother. P.S I was high as hell on that poster🦍😶‍🌫️🍃”

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Cannonier weighed in as a backup for Strickland vs. Adesanya, but didn’t end up having to fight. UFC CEO Dana White said a Strickland vs. Adesanya rematch could be next, but acknowledged that there are other options.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 293.

Video: With intrigue added to division, who will emerge as Sean Strickland’s first UFC title challenger?

All it took was one huge upset by Sean Strickland to make the UFC middleweight division intriguing.

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All it took was one huge upset to make the UFC middleweight division intriguing.

It had been growing stale given the number of contenders [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] knocked off as champion, but he lost the belt in dominant fashion to [autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag] this past Saturday at UFC 293, and suddenly there’s a world of matchup possibilities at the very top.

You’ve got [autotag]Dricus Du Plessis[/autotag], who was originally supposed to challenge Adesanya but couldn’t because of an injury from his last fight eight weeks ago. Next month, [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag] could stamp his name with an emphatic win over Paulo Costa at UFC 294. [autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag], the UFC 293 backup who owns a win over Strickland, also has a case. And there is, of course, the chance of an immediate rematch between Strickland and Adesanya.

When the dust settles, who will emerge as the first challenger to Strickland’s belt? This week’s “Spinning Back Clique” panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Nolan King and Danny Segura break it down with host “Gorgeous” George Garcia.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss this week’s full episode below on YouTube or in podcast form.

https://www.youtube.com/live/mkWi8C3IqD0

Why Sean Strickland would rather not fight Jared Cannonier again even though he ‘got 100 percent robbed’

Sean Strickland could get his Jared Cannonier rematch sooner than he thinks – but he’d rather not.

SYDNEY – [autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag] could get his [autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag] rematch sooner than he thinks – but he’d rather not.

Strickland (27-5 MMA, 14-5 UFC) challenges middleweight champion Israel Adesanya (24-2 MMA, 13-2 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 293 main event at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews/ESPN+ and early prelims on ESPN+.

Weighing in as a backup will be Cannonier (17-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC), who recently edged out Strickland by split decision in a five-round battle this past December. Strickland doesn’t often have too many nice things to say about his opponents, but he did towards Cannonier – even though he’s convinced he beat him.

“He’s a solid motherf*cker,” Strickland told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s media day. “I got robbed. I got 100 percent robbed. It’s so funny. After the fight, they go, ‘Sean Strickland took damage.’ Motherf*cker, I’m white and pasty.

“Cold weather damages me. You Australians know this sh*t. You could have wind come down and next thing you know, my face starts f*cking bleeding. So if that’s your metric you judge fights on, we need new judges.”

If Adesanya were to somehow not make the fight, Strickland would get an opportunity to avenge his most recent loss. But despite thinking he won their first fight, he’s not that motivated for a rematch.

“Yeah, sure – why not? I’ll fight Jared,” Strickland said. “I like the guy. You know what’s actually funny? I don’t really want to fight Jared. I like Jared. It’s kind of like there’s no desire in me that wants to try to hurt him. He’s a nice f*cking guy. Have you met Jared? He’s a nice f*cking guy.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 293.

Dricus Du Plessis next after UFC 293? Dana White reminds: ‘You know how much I love guys who turn down fights’

Somewhat surprisingly, Dana White won’t commit the UFC 293 main event winner will fight Dricus Du Plessis next.

LAS VEGAS – The answer to who is next in line for the UFC 293 main event winner isn’t as easy as some people may anticipate.

Following DWCS 61 on Tuesday at the UFC Apex, promotion president Dana White was asked if previously-penciled-in title challenger [autotag]Dricus Du Plessis[/autotag] (20-2 MMA, 6-0 UFC) will face the titleholder after Saturday’s [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] (24-2 MMA, 13-2 UFC) vs. [autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag] (27-5 MMA, 14-5 UFC) main event in Sydney.

While he did not provide an alternative, White was noncommittal to the proposed idea – but made a point of Du Plessis’ declination of a previous offer to fight Saturday in Sydney.

“You know how much I love guys who turn down fights,” White said. “I don’t know. We’ll see what happens Saturday and then we’ll go from there.”

White has longly – and very openly – despised the concept of fighters unwilling to take big fights for circumstantial reasons when called upon.

Though divisions are ever-evolving, it’s unclear what alternative could supplement should the promotion not go in the direction of Du Plessis. For Saturday’s UFC 293 event, top contender [autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag] (17-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC) will weigh in as a backup fighter should unforeseen circumstances render Adesanya or Strickland unable to compete.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 293.

Jared Cannonier ready to win title as UFC 293 backup or beyond: ‘It’s not just talk this time’

Jared Cannonier will be ready to step in as the UFC 293 backup if needed, but if not he has four names in mind for his next fight.

SYDNEY – [autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag] is prepared to make a huge impact in the middleweight title scene – whether it’s at UFC 293 or afterward.

Cannonier (17-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC) is tabbed as the backup fighter for Saturday’s championship bout between Israel Adesanya and Sean Strickland, which headlines the pay-per-view main card at Qudos Bank Arena following prelims on ESPNews/ESPN+ and early prelims on ESPN+.

After learning his services would be needed less than five weeks ago, Cannonier said his focus has been on making weight, which the UFC is putting “a nice pretty penny to put in my bank” to do. The UFC has never actually faced a situation where a backup fighter was needed at the 11th hour, but Cannonier said he’ll be ready for it – and thinks he has a strategic leg up given the fact he’s already fought Adesanya (24-2 MMA, 13-2 UFC) and Strickland (27-5 MMA, 14-5 UFC) before.

“It’s pretty much been more of a diet camp than a fight camp,” Cannonier told MMA Junkie on Tuesday. “I’ve fought both competitors before, so I’m not really concerning myself with – I don’t want to say I’m not concerning myself with what I’m going to do in there. I’m not necessarily game-planning for one or the other. I’m ready to go in there and fight both of them. I’m ready to go in there and fight both of them and win.”

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If Cannonier ends up not being called upon, he said he will shift focus on getting a marquee matchup at 185 pounds. He thinks there are several options in play for him, and is open to any direction the promotion wants to go.

“I don’t know what’s going to be next for me,” Cannonier said. “Personally, I would like either a title fight or a contender’s match. There’s two fighters that could make a good contender’s match with me: Dricus Du Plessis or Robert Whittaker. Hell, even the winner of (Khamzat) Chimaev and (Paulo) Costa (at UFC 294). I’m ready to fight. I just want to get in there and fight.”

In some instances, a fighter who serves as the backup will be granted an immediate title fight next. That is the case for Colby Covington in the welterweight division after he weighed in as the alternate for Leon Edwards vs. Kamaru Usman at UFC 286 in March, and while Cannonier hasn’t been given any assurances, he certainly wouldn’t turn his nose up at getting the UFC 293 winner.

“I certainly hope that is a shared sentiment, but no one said anything to me,” Cannonier said. “Either way, my ranking speaks for itself. I’m ready to get in there and fight for the title. I’m ready to get in there and win the title. It’s not just talk this time. I feel it in my bones. I feel it in my spirit. I feel it in the cosmos. I’m ready to get in there and do some work. I’m ready to do some damage against anybody. It don’t even have to be the champion. I’m ready to get in there and fight and show the world that I am who I am.”

Assuming Adesanya and Strickland get into the octagon without issue, Cannonier said he expects the champion to retain. He won’t completely rule out the possibility of Strickland winning, but he sees it as unlikely.

“I would say Sean has a tall mountain to climb,” Cannonier said. “Israel is 6-foot-4, pun intended. But I never count anyone out in this sport. He definitely has the skills to make something happen in there. But Izzy has the skills to make it not happen. It’d be hard to bet against Izzy.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 293.

Jared Cannonier in Sydney as UFC 293 backup for Israel Adesanya vs. Sean Strickland title fight

Jared Cannonier is in Sydney in case he needs to step into a title fight at UFC 293.

SYDNEY – [autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag] is here in case the UFC needs him.

Upon his arrival in Sydney, Cannonier told MMA Junkie on Monday – Tuesday locally – that he is serving as the backup fighter for the UFC 293 headliner between middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and Sean Strickland.

Cannonier, 39, is 14 months removed from a title-fight loss to Adesanya. He went the distance with the champ but lost by unanimous decision at UFC 276.

Since then, Cannonier (17-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC) has won back-to-back fights against Strickland and most recently Marvin Vettori in a lopsided unanimous decision this past June. After beating Vettori, Cannonier said he was willing to be the UFC 293 backup before Adesanya had an opponent.

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Cannonier’s win over Strickland, last December, was a split decision with 49-46 scores across the board – with two judges in favor of Cannonier and one for Strickland.

Neither Adesanya nor Strickland have missed weight in their careers, so it seems unlikely Cannonier’s services would be needed for that reason. Regardless, he’ll step on the scale to make 185-pound championship weight as main event insurance in hopes of securing a rematch one way or the other.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 293.

Why Jared Cannonier leans toward Paulo Costa to beat Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294

Jared Cannonier expects Paulo Costa to pose a serious threat to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294.

[autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag] expects [autotag]Paulo Costa[/autotag] to pose a serious threat to [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag].

Costa (14-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) meets Chimaev (12-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) in a middleweight bout Oct. 21 at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi. Most of Chimaev’s opponents have struggled to fend off his grappling, but former title challenger Cannonier believes Costa can hang with him on the ground.

“That’s a good fight, right? That’s a really good fight,” Cannonier told Helen Yee. “We haven’t seen much of Costa on the ground because he’s no slouch on the ground, you know what I mean? I guess he’d rather be on the feet punching and kicking at people than using his high-level skills on the ground.”

According to BetMGM, Costa is a +260 underdog, meaning a $100 bet on the Brazilian would win $260 profit. Chimaev is a -350 favorite, meaning a $350 bet would be needed on “Borz” to return $100 profit. If Cannonier was to put money on the fight, he’d pick Costa for the upset. He thinks Chimaev is yet to deal with someone who has “Borrachinha’s” size.

“If I was a betting man, I would lean more toward Costa in that one,” Cannonier said. “He’s a big guy. We haven’t seen Khamzat compete against a guy of that size, that stature, and of that skill level, as well. But, as in every combat situation, Khamzat’s got the skills to pay the bills, as well. That’s going to be a fun fight to watch, that’s for damn sure. Interesting fight, especially considering the position that that will put either of those guys in.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 294.

Jared Cannonier: Sean Strickland ‘doesn’t even believe he could win that fight’ against Israel Adesanya

Jared Cannonier doesn’t like Sean Strickland’s chances to beat champ Israel Adesanya if he fights him for the UFC middleweight title.

[autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag] doesn’t like [autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag]’s chances to become UFC middleweight champion.

Nothing has yet been made official, but Strickland recently entered the title race as a possible opponent for champ [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag]. Many thought Adesanya, who’s expected to defend his belt at UFC 293 in Sydney on Sept. 9, was going to face heated rival Dricus Du Plessis.

However, Adesanya recently said Du Plessis is out, and Strickland is next in line. If that turns out to be the case, Cannonier thinks Adesanya will stay champion.

“Sean doesn’t even believe he could win that fight,” Cannonier told Helen Yee. “He just wants to go in there and fight and get some money. I believe I can win that fight. I think that’s the big difference between me and those other guys.

“Izzy is not an easy fight. The way those styles match up, I don’t think Sean will be able to work his jab and his funky-ass footwork, and his ability to evade shots. Izzy is way too long. He’s a sniper. Izzy is too diverse and versatile with his striking, and I don’t think Sean’s grappling is good enough to make it a factor to make it as competitive.”

Cannonier is coming off a dominant decision win over longtime contender Marvin Vettori in June. He also beat Strickland with a split decision before that. The two-fight winning streak marks his bounce back from a title loss to Adesanya at UFC 276.

But Cannonier also understands the unpredictability of MMA and will not count out Strickland 100 percent.

“A fight is a fight,” Cannonier said. “A lot of us didn’t think Du Plessis was able to do what he did to Robert Whittaker, so I wouldn’t count any man out in this game – especially at the top of the division. All of us have the ability to go in there, protect ourselves and incapacitate our opponents. But my money would be on Izzy if I were a betting man.”

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MMA Junkie’s Fight of the Month for June: Middleweight title contenders go to war

With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from June 2023.

With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from June 2023: Here are the five nominees, listed in chronological order, and winner of MMA Junkie’s Fight of the Month award for June.

At the bottom of the post, let us know if we got it right by voting on your choice.

Nominees