Even at 40 years previous, Jared
Cannonier isn’t right here to be a steppingstone within the
Final Combating Championship’s middleweight division.
He proved that on Saturday evening, when he rallied for a
fourth-round technical knockout victory towards Gregory
Rodrigues within the UFC
Vegas 102 headliner on the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Rodrigues
entered the bout having received 5 of his final six Octagon
appearances, however “The Killa Gorilla” denied the Brazilian’s entry
into the higher echelon of the division.
Cannonier balked on the notion that he was settling right into a
gatekeeper position at this level in his MMA profession.
“I don’t suppose anyone’s put that tag on me. It’s simply once I was
doing all these interviews, the best way I used to be answering the questions
it sounded as if I used to be a gatekeeper,” Cannonier mentioned at Saturday’s
post-fight press convention. “Since you guys stored saying ‘you’re
preventing this up and comer, you’re preventing a second up and comer,
you’re preventing one other up and comer.’ Doesn’t that sound like
‘hey, you’re a gatekeeper’?
“I used to be simply illustrating it feels like I’m a gatekeeper. That’s
not how I see myself although. That’s by no means how I’m going to see
myself. That’s by no means what I’m going to be. I’m not a
gatekeeper.”
It was a much-needed return to the win colum for the MMA Lab
product, who was coming off back-to-back defeats towards Nassourdine
Imavov and Caio
Borralho.
“It feels nice, man,” Cannonier mentioned. “2024 was losses – not simply
within the Octagon, however loss in my private life, as nicely. 2024, I’m so
glad to place that behind me. I’m so glad 2025 is getting off on a
good notice, on an excellent foot. Camp was nice. I discovered rather a lot
all through camp. The entire battle week course of was superior.”
Cannonier has seen nearly every thing since transferring to
middleweight. A former title challenger, Saturday marked his eighth
foremost occasion underneath the UFC banner. Cannonier is 5-3 in these bouts,
and because of that schedule, has fought lots of the division’s
greatest names. Nonetheless, Cannonier continues to be searching for one other
high-profile matchup for his subsequent Octagon look. If meaning
a rematch, then so be it.
“If you happen to had been to have a look at the rankings, I would really like a ranked
opponent for positive. I believe I’m positively going to get a ranked
opponent after that victory,” he mentioned. “I would really like anyone
ranked larger than me. Sadly, all of the individuals ranked larger
than me are both in line to get a title shot or [they] are going
to attend for a title shot or simply beat me. However I’m not going rule
something out. If they are saying ‘Hey Jared, we want you to battle Dricus
[Du Plessis] subsequent for the belt.’ I’m like hell sure, I’m prepared.
