Mixed martial artist Jared Cannonier argues he should be Sean Strickland‘s first title defense competitor, since he defeated Strickland less than a year ago, even suggesting a specific fight plan for UFC 300.
Jared Cannonier firmly believes that he should be the first to go against Sean Strickland following Strickland’s surprising victory at UFC 293. Strickland unseated Israel Adesanya as the new middleweight champion, which led to speculation on who the contenders for the new champion might be. Notable names included Adesanya for a potential rematch and Dricus du Plessis, whom Strickland had replaced at UFC 293. However, Cannonier, who defeated Strickland less than a year prior, thinks he’s the rightful contender.
When asked who should be Strickland’s first title defense opponent on The MMA Hour, Cannonier confidently suggested himself, arguing that he should be the one to face the new champion. He went on to reason that although many are considering a rematch with Adesanya, he remained uncertain of the contractual details involving such a rematch clause. Meanwhile, another potential match he heard about was Strickland vs. du Plessis or possibly Strickland vs. Chimaev should Chimaev defeat Costa.
Despite beating the champion previously, Cannonier acknowledges that it’s really up to the champ, who might want to have a say given his track record. Interestingly, Cannonier also mentioned that the fact that Strickland came back from a rematch added weight to his argument. He also put forward the reasoning that if he isn’t given the opportunity to fight the champ, then at least he should be granted the chance to fight the contender, either du Plessis or Adesanya. He further dismissed the hype around Khamzat Chimaev as a middleweight contender, suggesting that the verdict is still out until his test against Paulo Costa.
Despite his convincing performance against Strickland at UFC Vegas 66, and his unanimous decision win over top contender Marvin Vettori, Cannonier feels as though his chances of getting a shot at the title aren’t recognized. He had previously been the backup fighter at UFC 293, a role which occasionally led to fighters receiving title shots. However, he made it clear that although he was not promised a title shot, he believes his past performances should at least put him in the running. When the UFC CEO voiced his sentiments regarding a rematch for Adesanya, it seemed to further crush his chances as other names like du Plessis, Paulo Costa, and Khamzat Chimaev appear to be favored. However, remaining vocal is Cannonier’s game plan, as he believes his accomplishments and experiences fighting past champions validate his stake in a title fight.
Regardless of the UFC’s final decision, Cannonier has his ideal match setup in mind. His grand scheme involves a fight with Strickland, dubbed ‘Tarzan vs. the Killa Gorilla’, as the main event, closely followed by Dricus du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya as the co-main event. He’s convinced that this arrangement would spike pay-per-view sales and, concurrently, further map out the middleweight division by having the winner of Chimaev vs. Costa as the leading fight.