Jared Cannonier has been chosen as the backup for the Israel Adesanya vs. Sean Strickland headliner fight at UFC 293.
Former title contender, Jared Cannonier, has been selected as the backup for the UFC 293 headlining fight between Israel Adesanya and Sean Strickland. The decision was confirmed by multiple sources close to the promotion’s plans who wished to remain anonymous as the information hadn’t been publicly announced yet. According to an MMA Junkie report, the 39-year-old Texas native is said to be weighing in for the fight and is ready to step up should there be any issues with the original main event.
UFC 293 is set to take place on Saturday at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney. The main card of the event will be aired live on ESPN+ pay-per-view. The co-main event of the night is a heavyweight contest between Tai Tuivasa and Alexander Volkov.
Cannonier previously had an unsuccessful run at the title 14 months prior when he fought against reigning champion, Adesanya at UFC 276. This defeat broke Cannonier’s remarkable 5-1 win streak in the middleweight division, which he established after competing in both the light heavyweight and heavyweight categories. Since his loss, Cannonier has managed to secure consecutive victories, notably defeating Strickland and, most recently, two-time title challenger Marvin Vettori.