HOUSTON – Jared Cannonier thinks his long-awaited middleweight title shot will come to fruition if he beats Derek Brunson at UFC 271.
Cannonier (14-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC) has fallen short in two title eliminators during his run at 185 pounds. He finds himself in another one Saturday, and if gets over the hump against Brunson (23-7 MMA, 14-5 UFC) at Toyota Center, he expects his first crack at UFC gold to finally materialize.
“I mean yeah (I expect a title shot),” Cannonier told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at Wednesday’s UFC 271 media day. “Who else is there? There’s nobody else. There’s no other clear contender at this time. So No. 3 vs. No. 4 (in the UFC rankings)? Yeah. That’s the one.”
The timing for Cannonier to get a title shot couldn’t be any more perfect in this scenario. UFC 271, which streams exclusively on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+, is headlined by a middleweight championship rematch between Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker.
Adesanya (21-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) has said on multiple occasions that a matchup with Cannonier intrigues him, but “The Killa Gorilla” hasn’t been able to earn the opportunity. Whittaker (23-5 MMA, 14-3 UFC), meanwhile, defeated Cannonier by unanimous decision at UFC 254 in October 2020, and if he reclaims the strap, it could be a shot at revenge.
Cannonier said he’s indifferent to the title-fight winner, though, and ultimately believes he’ll share the octagon with both men before his career is over.
“I don’t care either way,” Cannonier said. “I’m not hanging on to that Robert loss like, ‘Oh, I can’t wait to get my hands on him.’ I’m not looking up like, ‘I can’t wait to fight Izzy’ or nothing like that. A fight’s a fight. Whoever it is, I’m going to do the best I can to put you away. I know the fans would like to see those fights, either of them. For me, both are a welcomed challenge. If I fight one next, I’ll fight the other one down the line. They’re both right there.”
First things first, however, Cannonier has to settle his business with Brunson, who is riding a five-fight winning streak and in pursuit of a title shot of his own.
Cannonier said he respects the challenge in front of him, but he thinks he can handle what Brunson brings to the table.
“I’m not going to stroke his balls,” Cannonier said. “He can wrestle. Apparently he can punch, as well. But he can get knocked out, too.”
Jared Cannonier expects title shot with UFC 271 win: ‘There’s nobody else’
