Jared Cannonier

"The Killa Gorilla"
11-9
Record
Age / DOB 42
(Mar 16, 1984)
Height 5' 11"
Weight 185 lbs.
Reach 77.0"
Stance Switch
Career Averages
4.42 Sig. Strikes / Min
49.0% Sig. Strike Acc.
4.35 Absorbed / Min
56.0% Strike Defense
0.54 TD Avg / 15 min
40.0% TD Accuracy
64.0% TD Defense
0.0 Sub. / Fight
Win Methods (11)
KO/TKO 7
Submission 0
Decision 4
Loss Methods (9)
KO/TKO 3
Submission 0
Decision 6

Fight History

Result / Opponent
Event & Date
Method/Round
Links
Comments
Expert Picks (18)
AJ
AJ DeVito Expert Confident picked Jul 13, 2026 (5 days before fight)
Christian Leroy Duncan

AJ picks Christian Leroy Duncan to knock out the 42-year-old Jared Cannonier. He believes Duncan's speed, range kickboxing, and explosiveness will be too much for the aging Cannonier, who has looked slow recently. He expects Duncan to land clean shots and finish the fight, possibly with elbows or straight punches.

Duncan by KO, fight ends inside distance, over 2.5 rounds (-145), under 2.5 (+125)
"I feel like Christian Leroy Duncan's got to beat the 42-year-old Jared Cananir."
AJ
AJ DeVito Expert Confident picked Jul 14, 2026 (4 days before fight)
Christian Leroy Duncan

AJ picks Christian Leroy Duncan by knockout, citing his sharp kicks, elbows, and finishing ability against an aging Jared Cannonier who looked slow against MVP. He notes Duncan is on the rise while Cannonier is past his prime, and expects a dominant, violent performance from Duncan.

Duncan by KO +180
"I think Christian Leroy Duncan's gonna look the most dominant on this entire card. Christian Leroy Duncan be a knockout."
AJ
AJ DeVito Expert Confident picked Jul 15, 2026 (3 days before fight)
Christian Leroy Duncan

AJ picks CLD, citing his youth, speed, and distance striking advantage over an aging Cannonier. He expects a highlight-reel KO but acknowledges Cannonier's durability and wrestling threat. AJ notes CLD's spinning attacks could be risky but believes his precision will prevail.

CLD by KO +180 (Degen prop); CLD by KO in parlay
"Christian Leroy Duncan at minus 350. This is a battle of primes... I think CLD's youth, his speed advantage, and his ability to find a dangerous and precise shot should lead him to a highlight reel."
AJ
AJ DeVito Expert Confident picked Jul 17, 2026 (1 day before fight)
Christian Leroy Duncan

AJ picks Leroy Duncan by KO, citing his speed, creativity, and physical prime at 30 vs Cannonier at 42. He believes Duncan can fend off Cannonier's wrestling and land big shots, as Cannonier has been clipped recently. He likes the KO prop at +165 and considers Duncan a smarter pick.

Duncan by KO (+165), Duncan by decision (+125)
"Leroy Duncan is a crafty kickboxer. He's fast. He's creative. I feel like he's physically primed at 30 versus Canineer, an explosive beast at 42."
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Jul 17, 2026 (1 day before fight)
Christian Leroy Duncan

Angelo picks CLD because he believes Cannonier's chin is gone at 42 and CLD's movement, speed, and creativity will be too much. He notes that Cannonier's recent wins were against faded competition and that CLD has evolved his takedown defense. He is very confident CLD wins but unsure if by finish or decision.

Angelo suggests setting a minimum and maximum exposure for CLD in DFS lineups, indicating he's confident in the win but not the scoring output.
"I think Christian Leroy Duncan wins this fight. I think he runs away with this fight."
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Jul 12, 2026 (6 days before fight)
Christian Leroy Duncan

Angelo is very confident in CLD, citing Cannonier's age (42), slowing down, and diminished chin. He believes CLD's speed, youth, and athleticism will overwhelm Cannonier, and he thinks the fight won't be close. He recommends betting now before the odds move.

odds comment: minus 270 is incredible value
"The pick is speed, youth, and athleticism. The odds right now are incredible. Incredible. Minus 270. I don't think this is a remotely close fight."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jul 15, 2026 (3 days before fight)
Christian Leroy Duncan

Big Brady picks Christian Leroy Duncan, believing he is catching Jared Cannonier at the right time due to Cannonier's age (42) and accumulated damage. He notes Cannonier has been hurt in his last five fights and questions his chin. He expects Duncan to win by knockout, as Duncan is a finisher who doesn't let opponents off the hook. He dismisses Cannonier's wrestling as a non-factor.

Christian Leroy Duncan by knockout, inside the distance
"I like Christian Leroy Duncan to win by knockout. I like Christian Leroy Duncan to win inside the distance."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jul 12, 2026 (6 days before fight)
Christian Leroy Duncan

Big Brady confidently picks Christian Leroy Duncan, citing Cannonier's age (42), accumulated damage, and declining chin. He notes Duncan's durability and finishing ability, predicting a second-round knockout via strikes.

second round knockout
"I'm going Christian Larry Duncan to win. I'll take him to win by second round knockout."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Jul 15, 2026 (3 days before fight)
Christian Leroy Duncan

Cody highlights CLD's upward trend, dynamic striking, improving counter grappling, speed, and footwork. He contrasts with Jared Cannonier, now a 42-year-old gatekeeper with knee problems, slowing down, and having given up five knockdowns in his last five fights. He believes CLD's youth and athleticism prevail, likely by KO or decision.

"I got Duncan regardless of how it goes. Is it a little wide on the money line? Perhaps because I don't I don't overlook Jared Caner. He's dangerous. He hits hard. He's jacked up. But, you know, we mention this on every single show. Father Time is undefeated."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Jul 16, 2026 (2 days before fight)
Christian Leroy Duncan

Connor picks Duncan because he believes Cannonier's age and defensive decline make him vulnerable to a young, powerful striker. He notes that Cannonier is now a defensive sieve, squaring up and leading with his chin, and that Duncan has the length, power, and timing to find the perfect shot over multiple rounds. He compares the matchup to Terrence McKinney vs. Bobby Green, where youth and athleticism overwhelmed a crafty veteran. He acknowledges Duncan wastes time and makes poor decisions but thinks he will get enough opportunities to land significant strikes.

Odds: Duncan -350 favorite. Connor thinks the line is a little wide but not unreasonable.
"I have to pick Christian Leroy Duncan. Yeah, he's gonna waste a lot of time. He's gonna make a bunch of shitty decisions. Cannonier will probably pick up a takedown or two on him. But he's long, he's big, he hits hard, he has good timing. He's gonna get many rounds worth of opportunities to find the perfect shot."
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Jul 14, 2026 (4 days before fight)
Christian Leroy Duncan

Daniel Levi picks Christian Leroy Duncan to knock out Jared Cannonier, citing Duncan's youth, size, athleticism, and improved experience. He respects Cannonier's power but believes at 42, Cannonier's durability has declined, while Duncan has proven durable. He expects Duncan's technical striking and confidence to overcome Cannonier's pressure.

finish prediction: KO/TKO
"I'm going to go CLD to come out here and knock Jared Caner out and enter the top five."
DI
Diary of a Pro Gambler Expert picked Jul 17, 2026 (1 day before fight)
No clear pick

Duncan is a big favorite, but the host sees no value in betting him. Cannonier is a tough veteran with power and cardio, but at 42 years old, he is on the decline. The fight is likely to be a stand-up battle where Duncan's youth and technique should edge him the win. The host passes on betting either fighter, though notes Cannonier is the better value if forced to pick.

"there's no upside in betting on Duncan at these odds. That is an easy pass."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident picked Jul 12, 2026 (6 days before fight)
Christian Leroy Duncan

Lucrative James picks Christian Leroy Duncan to win by knockout, citing Duncan's athleticism, unorthodox strikes, and Cannonier's age and chin issues. He notes that Cannonier has been hurt in recent fights and Duncan's power and speed should be too much. However, he thinks the odds are too wide and considers betting on Cannonier or the fight not going to decision.

fight doesn't go to decision, CLD KO
"I'll make the prediction of Christian Lero Duncan via knockout."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jul 15, 2026 (3 days before fight)
Christian Leroy Duncan

The host sees this as a passing of the torch, with CLD being too fast, strong, and powerful for Cannonier. He expects Duncan to stop early grappling attempts and find a flashy second round KO.

second round KO
"I believe this is a passing of the torch match-up as CLD will be just too fast, too strong, and too powerful for Cannonier. Look for Duncan to stop the early grappling attempts of Cannonier and eventually find a flashy knockout getting the victory by second round KO."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jul 14, 2026 (4 days before fight)
Christian Leroy Duncan

Duncan is younger, faster, and more explosive, with a well-rounded game that has evolved past head-hunting. Cannonier is on the decline, with deteriorating durability and takedown success. Duncan should be able to avoid early takedowns and land a clean shot to finish Cannonier by knockout, continuing the passing of the torch.

Duncan by knockout
"I think we're going to see the continued deterioration of the durability of Cannonier. And I think we'll see that by Duncan landing a shot cleanly enough on Cannonier that Cannonier doesn't see coming, leading to Duncan winning this fight by knockout."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Jul 15, 2026 (3 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Paul thinks the line feels wide and calls Cannonier a 'value boy pick' at plus 295. He acknowledges CLD is good at range but notes Cannonier got a vet lesson from Gregory Rodriguez. However, he admits he'll probably be too cowardly to click it because he likes other underdogs on ACA card.

Value boy pick at +295
"Value boy pick. I don't know. I'll probably be too much of a coward to click it because there's like tons of underdogs on the ACA card I like this week."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jul 16, 2026 (2 days before fight)
Christian Leroy Duncan

The MMA Guru picks Christian Leroy Duncan over Jared Cannonier, despite thinking the odds (-370) are too high. He cites Duncan's youth, reach, and dynamic striking, predicting a KO via spinning attack or head kick. He notes Cannonier's age and recent knockdowns as concerns.

KO via spinning attack or head kick, round two
"I am going to go Christian Lee Roy Duncan here... I think he should be a two-to-one favorite... I think in round two he lands a sick, dynamic, 100K bonus-worthy KO over Jared Cannonier."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Jul 16, 2026 (2 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Zane picks Cannonier because he believes Duncan lacks the process and consistent work rate to beat a veteran like Cannonier. He compares Duncan unfavorably to Gregory Rodrigues, who beat Duncan by maintaining consistent pressure, and notes that Cannonier beat Rodrigues by matching his pace and finishing him. Zane argues that Duncan wastes too much time and relies on timing a perfect shot, while Cannonier is durable, has good pace, and can make adjustments. He acknowledges Cannonier is older and more hittable but thinks Duncan's style is exactly the kind Cannonier can handle.

Odds: Cannonier +285 underdog, Duncan -350 favorite. Zane thinks the line is a little wide.
"I just, I'm gonna go old. I'm gonna do the reverse of the du Plessis Usman. And I'm just gonna say, you know what, this just is not the kind of guy that Cannonier has been looking like he could lose to."
Decision R3 5:00
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Jared Cannonier 0 20 of 57 35% 46 of 88 2 of 7 28% 0 0 8:14
Michael Page 0 29 of 55 52% 36 of 64 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:01
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Jared Cannonier 0 2 of 16 12% 10 of 24 0 of 3 0% 0 0 2:10
Michael Page 0 11 of 20 55% 11 of 21 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
2 Jared Cannonier 0 10 of 25 40% 12 of 27 1 of 3 33% 0 0 1:56
Michael Page 0 11 of 20 55% 12 of 21 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:01
3 Jared Cannonier 0 8 of 16 50% 24 of 37 1 of 1 100% 0 0 4:08
Michael Page 0 7 of 15 46% 13 of 22 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Jared Cannonier 20 of 57 35% 10 of 45 4 of 6 6 of 6 11 of 45 3 of 4 6 of 8
Michael Page 29 of 55 52% 19 of 45 8 of 8 2 of 2 27 of 53 2 of 2 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Jared Cannonier 2 of 16 12% 0 of 14 1 of 1 1 of 1 2 of 16 0 of 0 0 of 0
Michael Page 11 of 20 55% 5 of 14 5 of 5 1 of 1 10 of 19 1 of 1 0 of 0
2 Jared Cannonier 10 of 25 40% 3 of 16 3 of 5 4 of 4 7 of 21 3 of 4 0 of 0
Michael Page 11 of 20 55% 9 of 18 2 of 2 0 of 0 10 of 19 1 of 1 0 of 0
3 Jared Cannonier 8 of 16 50% 7 of 15 0 of 0 1 of 1 2 of 8 0 of 0 6 of 8
Michael Page 7 of 15 46% 5 of 13 1 of 1 1 of 1 7 of 15 0 of 0 0 of 0
Expert Picks (6)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Aug 10, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Michael Page

Angelo believes this is a tailor-made matchup for MVP, as his speed and karate style will be too much for the powerful but slow Cannonier. He notes MVP has outstruck everyone in the UFC, including Ian Garry, and can pop in and out safely. He is surprisingly confident in MVP.

"This is a tailor made matchup for MVP. He can dance on the outside and rush in. Jared Cantaner is powerful, but he's not fast."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Aug 12, 2025 (4 days before fight)
Michael Page

Big Brady picks Michael Page to win by decision. He notes Page is an incredible striker with a unique style that makes him hard to hit, and he has outlanded top strikers like Ian Garry and Kevin Holland. He thinks Cannonier will struggle to take Page down, as Cannonier has only one fight with more than one takedown. He favors Page heavily in distance striking and thinks Page wins a decision, possibly a knockout. He also mentions a prop bet on Page under 54.5 significant strikes.

Page under 54.5 significant strikes (Sleeper)
"I like Paige here. I think Paige wins a decision. Potentially even knocks out Caner, but I'll say decision here for Michael Paige."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Aug 14, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Michael Page

Connor picks Page, arguing that Page can frustrate Cannonier from range and that Cannonier is slowing down and less likely to have fight-stealing moments. He notes that Page is comfortable with boring fights and can make Cannonier look slow and cumbersome. However, he acknowledges that Cannonier's strength in the clinch could be a problem, but Page's ability to tie up after striking may mitigate that.

Cannonier opened at +115, currently +165; Page opened at -135, currently -190
"I'm still going to pick page. I think that he can really frustrate Cannonier."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Aug 15, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Michael Page

The host believes Page's elusive striking style will be too much for the veteran Cannonier. He predicts Page will pick apart Cannonier and eventually find a knockout in the second round.

knockout in the second round
"I believe the elusive striking style of Paige will be too much for the veteran here and I think that we'll see him pick apart Canoneer and I think that would eventually lead to him finding that knockout in the second round"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Aug 13, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Michael Page

The Guru picks Michael Venom Page to win by decision over Jared Cannonier. He believes Cannonier will be too technical and hesitant to pressure Page effectively, instead opting for a low-output striking match. The Guru notes that Cannonier has a history of not taking risks, as seen in his fights with Marvin Vettori and Paulo Costa. He expects Page to outpoint Cannonier with movement and occasional highlights, winning a dull decision.

Decision win for MVP; low output fight; MVP lands about 22 significant strikes
"I'm going with Michael Venom Page over Jared Cananeer. ... I think Caner is going to lose a decision and I think it's going to be a fight where we're like why wasn't Canoneir risking it for the biscuit?"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Aug 14, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Michael Page

Zane picks Page, noting that Page is a master of body language and can make even close rounds feel like his. He believes Cannonier is a middleweight version of Josh Koscheck, a tough but limited fighter who is winding down. Zane thinks Page's ability to pick his shots and avoid engagement will frustrate Cannonier, who doesn't cut off the cage well. He sees Page as a meme fighter who can carve a path to the top of the division.

Cannonier opened at +115, currently +165; Page opened at -135, currently -190
"I think I'll take page as well. I think, I mean, this is the thing with Michael Page and why he's so annoying to fight."
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Jared Cannonier 2 98 of 201 48% 109 of 215 1 of 3 33% 0 0 2:09
Gregory Rodrigues 2 93 of 221 42% 95 of 225 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:17
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Jared Cannonier 0 22 of 38 57% 31 of 49 1 of 1 100% 0 0 1:34
Gregory Rodrigues 2 25 of 66 37% 26 of 68 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:17
2 Jared Cannonier 0 33 of 72 45% 35 of 74 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:18
Gregory Rodrigues 0 25 of 68 36% 26 of 70 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Jared Cannonier 1 34 of 78 43% 34 of 79 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:17
Gregory Rodrigues 0 43 of 87 49% 43 of 87 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:00
4 Jared Cannonier 1 9 of 13 69% 9 of 13 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Gregory Rodrigues 0 0 of 0 --- 0 of 0 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Jared Cannonier 98 of 201 48% 59 of 157 20 of 23 19 of 21 69 of 161 20 of 25 9 of 15
Gregory Rodrigues 93 of 221 42% 65 of 188 21 of 25 7 of 8 85 of 208 8 of 12 0 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Jared Cannonier 22 of 38 57% 10 of 25 5 of 5 7 of 8 15 of 30 7 of 8 0 of 0
Gregory Rodrigues 25 of 66 37% 16 of 53 8 of 11 1 of 2 19 of 56 6 of 9 0 of 1
2 Jared Cannonier 33 of 72 45% 15 of 50 11 of 14 7 of 8 28 of 65 5 of 7 0 of 0
Gregory Rodrigues 25 of 68 36% 16 of 59 5 of 5 4 of 4 25 of 67 0 of 1 0 of 0
3 Jared Cannonier 34 of 78 43% 27 of 71 2 of 2 5 of 5 22 of 59 3 of 4 9 of 15
Gregory Rodrigues 43 of 87 49% 33 of 76 8 of 9 2 of 2 41 of 85 2 of 2 0 of 0
4 Jared Cannonier 9 of 13 69% 7 of 11 2 of 2 0 of 0 4 of 7 5 of 6 0 of 0
Gregory Rodrigues 0 of 0 --- 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0
Expert Picks (7)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Feb 9, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Gregory Rodrigues

Angelo picks Gregory Rodrigues over Jared Cannonier, citing Cannonier's age (40) as a key factor. He notes that Cannonier's chin and speed are declining, and while Cannonier may have early success, Rodrigues has enough power and grappling to turn the fight. Angelo also mentions he might bet the under on 4.5 rounds if the prop is available.

under 4.5 rounds (if available)
"Gregory is the pick and if we get a four and a half round line I I might Hammer that under"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Feb 12, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Gregory Rodrigues

Big Brady picks Rodrigues by second-round knockout, noting Cannonier's decline in durability and performance. Cannonier was outclassed by Caio Borralho and wobbled by Vettori. Rodrigues is younger and has power, though his own chin is questionable. He expects Rodrigues to land a big shot and finish Cannonier.

knockout in round 2
"give me Ro Rodriguez and I think he stops cider in this fight I give give me Rodriguez by second round knockout"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Hesitant picked Feb 13, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Connor picks Jared Cannonier, though hesitantly. He acknowledges Cannonier has lost a step and is on a slide, but believes this is a level of fight Cannonier can still win. He points to Cannonier's hand speed, counter-punching, and ability to time counters against Rodrigues' defensive liabilities. Connor also notes that Cannonier has been competitive with top fighters like Imavov and Bahaio, and that Rodrigues' tendency to get caught by surprise makes him susceptible to Cannonier's power. However, he admits the version of Cannonier that gets big finishes might be gone, and he can also envision Cannonier getting crushed.

Connor mentions that the odds for Rodrigues have moved from -193 to -221, and Cannonier from +147 to +182, and he doesn't think the odds should be getting longer on Cannonier. He notes that the guys who have slept Rodrigues (Bruno Ferreira, Jordan Williams) are not good fighters, implying Cannonier could still do it.
"I still feel inclined to pick Canoneer though."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Hesitant picked Feb 13, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Gregory Rodrigues

Lucrative James picks Gregory Rodrigues despite acknowledging his suspect chin, because Jared Cannonier is 40 years old and has taken severe damage in recent fights, especially the brutal KO loss to Caio Borralho just five and a half months ago. He believes Cannonier's age and accumulated punishment make him vulnerable to Rodrigues' power and pressure. However, he notes that Rodrigues gets hit often and has been knocked out by lesser fighters, so he is not fully confident. He also mentions that Cannonier is live for a KO and may play a small prop on Cannonier by KO. He strongly recommends betting 'fight doesn't go to distance' at -250, seeing value there.

Fight doesn't go to distance at -250; under 2.5 rounds at -125; small play on Jared Cannonier by KO
"I'm going to pick Gregory Rodriguez and the reason I'm doing that is because of Jared's age because of the punishment he has took"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Feb 15, 2025 (fight day)
Gregory Rodrigues

Cannonier is on a downward slope at nearly 41 years old. Rodrigues will use pace, pressure, and power to take advantage of Cannonier's diminishing durability and speed. Cannonier has been hurt in recent fights, and Rodrigues finishes him in the second or third round.

Rodrigues inside the distance, round 2 or 3
"Look for Rodriguez to utilize a solid pace and pressure and really leaning on that power... I think Rodriguez can put a stamp on this matchup by getting a finish in the second or third round."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Feb 13, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Gregory Rodrigues

The MMA Guru picks Gregory Rodrigues over Jared Cannonier, citing Cannonier's age (40), recent damage, and lack of recent knockouts. He highlights Rodrigues' size, grappling advantage, power, and youth. He believes Rodrigues has multiple paths to victory: knockout, takedown and ground control, or submission, while Cannonier has fewer options.

"I'm going to trust in Gregory Rodriguez getting this one done"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Feb 13, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Gregory Rodrigues

Zane picks Gregory Rodrigues because he believes Cannonier has lost a step and no longer has the finishing ability to capitalize on Rodrigues' defensive lapses. He notes that Cannonier's tactical, non-strategic style means he gives opponents infinite chances, and with age and declining durability, those chances are now breaking against him. Zane also highlights Rodrigues' improved wrestling and strategic approach, as seen in the Brad Tavares fight, as key factors. He acknowledges Cannonier could still catch Rodrigues, but trusts the math less for Cannonier now.

Zane mentions that the odds for Rodrigues have moved from -193 to -221, and Cannonier from +147 to +182, and he doesn't think the odds should be getting longer on Cannonier. He notes that the guys who have slept Rodrigues (Bruno Ferreira, Jordan Williams) are not good fighters, implying Cannonier could still do it.
"But now I'm going to pick Gregory Rodriguez because I don't think that Cannon here is ever going to take this fight over from Rodriguez."
Decision (unanimous) (49–45, 49–45, 48–46) R5 5:00
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Caio Borralho 0 83 of 254 32% 83 of 254 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jared Cannonier 1 153 of 255 60% 156 of 258 0 of 1 0% 1 0 1:59
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Caio Borralho 0 12 of 34 35% 12 of 34 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jared Cannonier 0 15 of 32 46% 15 of 32 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Caio Borralho 0 26 of 70 37% 26 of 70 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jared Cannonier 0 21 of 43 48% 21 of 43 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Caio Borralho 0 15 of 58 25% 15 of 58 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jared Cannonier 0 37 of 58 63% 37 of 58 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:05
4 Caio Borralho 0 19 of 50 38% 19 of 50 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jared Cannonier 0 30 of 53 56% 30 of 53 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
5 Caio Borralho 0 11 of 42 26% 11 of 42 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jared Cannonier 1 50 of 69 72% 53 of 72 0 of 1 0% 1 0 1:54
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Caio Borralho 83 of 254 32% 57 of 206 11 of 24 15 of 24 82 of 252 1 of 2 0 of 0
Jared Cannonier 153 of 255 60% 106 of 197 26 of 37 21 of 21 129 of 224 2 of 3 22 of 28
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Caio Borralho 12 of 34 35% 4 of 23 2 of 2 6 of 9 12 of 34 0 of 0 0 of 0
Jared Cannonier 15 of 32 46% 7 of 22 4 of 6 4 of 4 15 of 32 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Caio Borralho 26 of 70 37% 18 of 53 4 of 9 4 of 8 25 of 69 1 of 1 0 of 0
Jared Cannonier 21 of 43 48% 14 of 34 2 of 4 5 of 5 21 of 43 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Caio Borralho 15 of 58 25% 14 of 54 0 of 1 1 of 3 15 of 58 0 of 0 0 of 0
Jared Cannonier 37 of 58 63% 24 of 44 10 of 11 3 of 3 36 of 56 1 of 2 0 of 0
4 Caio Borralho 19 of 50 38% 11 of 38 4 of 8 4 of 4 19 of 50 0 of 0 0 of 0
Jared Cannonier 30 of 53 56% 19 of 37 5 of 10 6 of 6 30 of 53 0 of 0 0 of 0
5 Caio Borralho 11 of 42 26% 10 of 38 1 of 4 0 of 0 11 of 41 0 of 1 0 of 0
Jared Cannonier 50 of 69 72% 42 of 60 5 of 6 3 of 3 27 of 40 1 of 1 22 of 28
Expert Picks (6)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Aug 18, 2024 (6 days before fight)
Caio Borralho

Angelo picks Caio Borralho, citing his high fight IQ and slick grappling. He notes that Borralho is a 'fighting nerd' who makes smart adjustments mid-fight, and that his head is massive and hard to put out. He acknowledges Cannonier's power and the short notice for both, but believes Borralho's intelligence and size advantage will carry him.

"Kyo is going to be the pick I think this is short notice for both of them... Kyo is bigger than 6'1 he's probably 6'2 he's a big dude and his head is like a cow's head"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Aug 20, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Cody thinks the betting line on Borralho is inflated. He notes Cannonier is a tough veteran who has fought top competition and has good takedown defense and get-up game. He believes Borralho may try to be entertaining instead of wrestling, which plays into Cannonier's hands. He also mentions Cannonier's price of +190 is too good to pass up.

"I think this number is insane... Canon ear plus 190 I bet it if it keeps getting bigger I'm gonna bet it more"
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Hesitant picked Aug 22, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Daniel Vreeland is not fully confident but leans toward Jared Cannonier. He argues that Borralho's competition has been unranked and his striking volume is low, while Cannonier has proven output against top fighters. He worries about Cannonier's age and recent stoppage loss but believes the volume and experience advantage will be decisive unless Cannonier has declined overnight.

"I think that Jared is gonna neutralize the grappling and bust them up standing and I think the volume difference is going to be huge"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Aug 21, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Caio Borralho

JP picks Borralho by decision, noting he is 6-0 in the UFC and hasn't lost since 2015. He highlights Borralho's grappling match against heavyweight Jilton Almeida as evidence of his skills. He thinks Cannonier is 40 and inconsistent. Brevin agrees, picking Borralho, praising his striking style similar to Michael Venom Page with explosive entries, and his good grappling. He thinks Cannonier will try to pressure but Borralho's in-and-out movement will be effective.

"I'm taking barho uh Bario's 6-0 in the UFC hasn't lost since 2015 and we're talking about jarro caner wanting to ragdoll people barho had a grappling match against jilton Almeida"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Aug 20, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Paul agrees with Cody, favoring Cannonier because of his experience and plus money. He notes Cannonier is 40 and coming off knee surgery but has fought the best. He thinks Borralho might try to be aggressive to impress, which could lead to his demise. Paul also mentions that Borralho's low volume and risk-averse style might not work against a durable veteran.

"I'm favoring koner as well one CU he's plus money but two just basically everything you've mentioned he's fought all the best guys of the division"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Aug 21, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Caio Borralho

The MMA Guru picks Caio Borralho by rear-naked choke. He notes Cannonier's takedown defense is good but he gives up his back often. He believes Borralho's back-take ability and momentum from his win over Paul Craig will be key. He also cites Cannonier's age (40) and quick turnaround after a near-finish loss to Nassourdine Imavov. He trusts Borralho's improving standup and the Fighting Nerds team.

rear-naked choke
"I'm going to go with baralo here here guys I'm going to go with the younger baralo who's not 40 31 in his prime fighting out a fighting nerds"
TKO (punches) R4 1:34
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Nassourdine Imavov 0 64 of 109 58% 102 of 152 1 of 1 100% 0 0 6:18
Jared Cannonier 0 82 of 134 61% 106 of 159 2 of 3 66% 0 0 1:10
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Nassourdine Imavov 0 21 of 32 65% 38 of 52 1 of 1 100% 0 0 2:05
Jared Cannonier 0 14 of 30 46% 16 of 32 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:10
2 Nassourdine Imavov 0 17 of 32 53% 27 of 42 0 of 0 --- 0 0 2:16
Jared Cannonier 0 28 of 46 60% 36 of 54 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Nassourdine Imavov 0 18 of 30 60% 29 of 43 0 of 0 --- 0 0 1:57
Jared Cannonier 0 21 of 32 65% 33 of 45 1 of 2 50% 0 0 0:46
4 Nassourdine Imavov 0 8 of 15 53% 8 of 15 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jared Cannonier 0 19 of 26 73% 21 of 28 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:14
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Nassourdine Imavov 64 of 109 58% 42 of 81 9 of 11 13 of 17 58 of 100 6 of 9 0 of 0
Jared Cannonier 82 of 134 61% 61 of 112 16 of 17 5 of 5 64 of 114 17 of 19 1 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Nassourdine Imavov 21 of 32 65% 13 of 23 2 of 2 6 of 7 20 of 31 1 of 1 0 of 0
Jared Cannonier 14 of 30 46% 7 of 23 4 of 4 3 of 3 12 of 28 1 of 1 1 of 1
2 Nassourdine Imavov 17 of 32 53% 12 of 25 3 of 4 2 of 3 15 of 30 2 of 2 0 of 0
Jared Cannonier 28 of 46 60% 19 of 37 7 of 7 2 of 2 17 of 34 11 of 12 0 of 0
3 Nassourdine Imavov 18 of 30 60% 12 of 23 2 of 2 4 of 5 15 of 25 3 of 5 0 of 0
Jared Cannonier 21 of 32 65% 18 of 28 3 of 4 0 of 0 21 of 32 0 of 0 0 of 0
4 Nassourdine Imavov 8 of 15 53% 5 of 10 2 of 3 1 of 2 8 of 14 0 of 1 0 of 0
Jared Cannonier 19 of 26 73% 17 of 24 2 of 2 0 of 0 14 of 20 5 of 6 0 of 0
Expert Picks (8)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Jun 7, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Angelo picks Jared Cannonier, citing his impressive performance against Marvin Vettori where he showed forward pressure, takedowns, and cardio. He acknowledges that Imavov is good and just dominated Roman Dolidze, but he is impressed with Cannonier's last fight. He thinks the best version of Cannonier wins, and he is crossing his fingers that version shows up.

"I am going to slightly pick Jared caner and the only reason I'm picking him is based off of that last fight"
BI
Big Brady Expert Lean picked Jun 5, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Big Brady picks Jared Cannonier to win by split decision. He notes that Cannonier is 40 but looks better than ever, with impressive wins over Marvin Vettori and Sean Strickland. He expects Imavov to have early success but fade, while Cannonier's five-round cardio and takedown defense will allow him to take over. He predicts a close 48-47 split decision.

"I'm going caner I'm going with the 40-year-old caner to get it done maybe losing the first round two rounds but taking over as the fight goes on and and winning a very close 4847 type Split Decision fight"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Jun 5, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Cody picks Cannonier based on his proven cardio, durability, and experience against top competition. He notes Cannonier's ability to maintain high volume over five rounds, as seen in the Marvin Vettori fight where he landed 241 significant strikes. Cody acknowledges the concerns about Cannonier's age (40) and the two-year layoff due to an MCL tear, but believes his gas tank and power will be too much for Imavov, who has shown cardio issues in the past. He expects Cannonier to win a competitive decision.

"I got to go with the back class I got to go with the experience I got to go with the proven cardio The Proven durability The Proven experience the competition level all of that stuff Fades towards Jared koner so close fight tight fight tough fight for koner coming off the layoff but again I think he finds a way to get it done over the course of the probably decision five round decision"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Lean picked Jun 5, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Nassourdine Imavov

Daniel leans towards Imavov due to his youth, speed, and improved defense since the Strickland fight. He worries about Imavov's high-energy style causing a late fade, allowing Cannonier to take over in the championship rounds. He notes Cannonier's durability and high output, especially in the Vettori fight, but sees Imavov's early movement and speed as key to banking rounds. Ultimately, he calls it a tough fight that could go either way.

"I'm leaning a little bit towards Nasser just a little bit but you know it's this is one where you can realistically see it going either way"
JA
Jacob Lines Expert Confident picked Jun 7, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Jacob is very confident in Jared Cannonier, stating he will not pick against him until someone beats him over five rounds. He notes that Imavov might have early success, but Cannonier's veteran savvy and cardio will take over. He predicts Cannonier wins a decision and makes another title run. He considered Cannonier as lock of the week but the odds were too close.

Jared Cannonier wins by decision
"until I see somebody beat Jared Canon there across five rounds I'm not picking against him"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jun 4, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Cannonier has power, speed, and explosiveness to crash the pocket and disrupt Imavov's range striking. Imavov may get demoralized when his range control fails, as seen against Strickland. Cannonier can land big shots, change levels for takedowns, and grind out a decision or even a KO. At +105, he's a solid underdog bet.

straight up at +105
"final prediction Jared cir by decision but straight up at plus 105 I think he's that's a that that's a good enough spot to take a trade bet on"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Hesitant picked Jun 5, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Paul leans towards Cannonier but is hesitant due to the injury and layoff. He notes that Cannonier's price at plus money seems like good value given his resume, but the torn MCL and age are concerns. Paul thinks Cannonier's reach advantage and pressure will be key, and he expects Imavov to struggle with Cannonier's volume and power as the fight goes on. He predicts a competitive fight but sees Cannonier getting the nod.

"I'm still going to go with cener based off of the body of work and that you know pre-injury ability to land insane volume over the course of five rounds against some of the top guys in the division but I'm a little bit more hesitant to pull the trigger now I'm not going to lie but uh caner for me"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jun 5, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

The Guru picks Cannonier because Imavov slows down in fights and lacks finishing instinct, as seen against Roman Dolidze and Buckley. He notes Cannonier gets better as the fight goes on and can walk Imavov down, chew up his legs, and work him against the cage in the later rounds. He says if it were a three-rounder he'd take Imavov, but in a five-rounder Cannonier builds into it and wins a split decision. He also mentions Cannonier looked phenomenal against Vettori and that Imavov hasn't shown he's clearly better than that level of middleweight.

Split decision prediction; says if three rounds would pick Imavov
"if this was a threee rounder I actually do take a mov to win five rounder I think caner will build into this and I think he'll actually beat imov by decision"
Decision (unanimous) (49–45, 49–45, 48–46) R5 5:00
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Jared Cannonier 0 153 of 301 50% 154 of 302 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:28
Marvin Vettori 0 241 of 411 58% 257 of 428 4 of 6 66% 0 0 3:07
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Jared Cannonier 0 38 of 71 53% 38 of 71 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Marvin Vettori 0 29 of 66 43% 29 of 66 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Jared Cannonier 0 24 of 50 48% 24 of 50 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Marvin Vettori 0 82 of 125 65% 94 of 138 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:46
3 Jared Cannonier 0 31 of 50 62% 31 of 50 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:23
Marvin Vettori 0 49 of 81 60% 52 of 84 1 of 2 50% 0 0 0:43
4 Jared Cannonier 0 37 of 76 48% 37 of 76 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Marvin Vettori 0 32 of 57 56% 32 of 57 1 of 2 50% 0 0 0:34
5 Jared Cannonier 0 23 of 54 42% 24 of 55 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:05
Marvin Vettori 0 49 of 82 59% 50 of 83 2 of 2 100% 0 0 1:04
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Jared Cannonier 153 of 301 50% 117 of 257 15 of 21 21 of 23 148 of 293 5 of 8 0 of 0
Marvin Vettori 241 of 411 58% 173 of 339 39 of 43 29 of 29 195 of 354 26 of 31 20 of 26
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Jared Cannonier 38 of 71 53% 31 of 63 3 of 4 4 of 4 37 of 69 1 of 2 0 of 0
Marvin Vettori 29 of 66 43% 14 of 51 8 of 8 7 of 7 28 of 65 1 of 1 0 of 0
2 Jared Cannonier 24 of 50 48% 21 of 44 2 of 4 1 of 2 22 of 47 2 of 3 0 of 0
Marvin Vettori 82 of 125 65% 62 of 104 15 of 16 5 of 5 58 of 96 12 of 13 12 of 16
3 Jared Cannonier 31 of 50 62% 23 of 42 3 of 3 5 of 5 30 of 49 1 of 1 0 of 0
Marvin Vettori 49 of 81 60% 36 of 66 8 of 10 5 of 5 41 of 70 7 of 10 1 of 1
4 Jared Cannonier 37 of 76 48% 26 of 63 4 of 5 7 of 8 37 of 75 0 of 1 0 of 0
Marvin Vettori 32 of 57 56% 22 of 46 3 of 4 7 of 7 32 of 57 0 of 0 0 of 0
5 Jared Cannonier 23 of 54 42% 16 of 45 3 of 5 4 of 4 22 of 53 1 of 1 0 of 0
Marvin Vettori 49 of 82 59% 39 of 72 5 of 5 5 of 5 36 of 66 6 of 7 7 of 9
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Jared Cannonier vs. Marvin Vettori
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Vettori (-115), Cannonier (-105)

Round 1
We have reached the final fight of the card, and it is the only one to contain a pair of ranked competitors. Both men have lost to champ Israel Adesanya, so a victory tonight might not be enough to move them to the top of the ladder. In one corner stands Vettori (19-6-1, 9-4-1 UFC), who has never had his chin checked as a pro. In the other is knockout artist Cannonier (16-6, 9-4 UFC), who celebrates a solid 75% finish rate. Whether it lasts five minutes or five rounds, referee Herb Dean is prepped and ready to go. There is an intense glove touch between the two middleweights, and it’s on with the main event. Vettori looks to set up his jab early, and Cannonier walks him down and does the same, except he follows with a calf kick. Vettori sticks out a one-two, and he catches Cannonier with a power left hand that stuns “The Killa Gorilla” unexpectedly. Cannonier defends with his back to the wall and thinks to change levels, and he gathers his thoughts and waves Vettori on for more. Vettori aims a left hand over the top and stings Cannonier again, and Cannonier once more has to retreat to gather his thoughts. Vettori does not give chase or get into a reckless slugfest, instead measuring the former heavyweight with a head kick. Cannonier blocks it in time and steps in with a right hand, and Vettori gets cracked with a right hand that shakes him up. Vettori pays him back with a left hand, and he ducks a swopping punch to sneak a right hand around the guard. Cannonier checks a leg kick and has a left hand bounce off his forehead with little effect. Vettori works the body with a kick, and Cannonier backs him away with a thumping kick to the inside calf. Cannonier keeps his guard up when Vettori throws hands, and he gets off another solid leg kick. Cannonier walks through a jab and rolls with a right hand, and he forces out a jab only to give two right back to his opponent. The Italian flicks out several jabs, and he follows one with a left hand to stagger Cannonier. “The Killa Gorilla” reels and recovers once more, and he kicks at the lead wheel and puts the ball of his foot on Vettori’s sternum twice. Cannonier unloads with a leg kick, only to get knocked back with a pair of punches. Cannonier backs Vettori against the wall and cannot trap him with a barrage, as Vettori instead makes him change his mind with a step-in knee. Cannonier gets in two right hands as Vettori rolls, and he escapes out the side but walks into a right hand that soars at him. Cannonier paws out with three punches that slide off the shoulder, and he eats a one-two shortly thereafter. As Cannonier comes out throwing, the exciting round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vettori
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Vettori
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Vettori

Round 2
Cannonier moves right to the center of the cage after second stanza opens, and they trade rangy punches. Cannonier throws a hard low kick, and he walks into a few punches. As Cannonier bears down on Vettori, Vettori escapes out the side and fires off a piston-like straight left hand. Cannonier knows he will take it on the eye, and he does so he can loop a right hand over the guard. Cannonier slips a few punches as he trades with Vettori, and he ends a combo with a leg kick. Cannonier lines up a ferocious straight right hand, and Vettori wears it well but is not enjoying what he gets. Cannonier rails him with another overhand right, and Vettori staggers back and leans against the fence. Vettori clinches up, and Cannonier pushes him off to reset and approach from another angle. Vettori strides forward in effort to counter, and Cannonier kicks his leg out and puts Vettori on his back. Vettori defends from the subsequent ground-and-pound that Cannonier drops on him, and he moves to his knees while still clearly very hurt as his nose is bleeding. Cannonier racks him up with a few body shots and punches over the top, and Vettori succeeds in slowing Cannonier just enough with a combination. Cannonier digs a left to the body and a right to the head, and Vettori is on rubber legs and taking punches right on the chin. Vettori remains upright, and Cannonier is giving it all he has with punches, knees and even short elbows. Vettori blocks several of the strikes but takes many more, and he is hanging in there but taking a beating. Cannonier backs him off and stands Vettori up with a right hand, and Vettori surges forward with a pair of punches to surprise Cannonier. Cannonier slows himself down, and Vettori rushes after him with a one-two. Vettori misses with a left hook, and he dings Cannonier behind the ear with another and reaches the bell.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Cannonier
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-8 Cannonier
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-8 Cannonier

Round 3
A busted up and slightly bloodied Vettori makes it to the third round, and he appears to still be trying to get his wits about him. Vettori leads off with a jab, and he uses several more to decent effect to keep Cannonier from bearing down on him. Vettori sits down on alternating leg kicks, and Cannonier measures a right hand to the midsection. Vettori swings a big left hand, and he springs forward to deliver a right hand off the guard. Cannonier knocks his man back with a power right hand, and he shoots in for a takedown. Vettori stops it and pushes him away, and he chains a calf kick into a one-two as he appears more recovered 75 seconds into the round. Vettori jumps into throwing an uppercut to the body and he snaps out a jab only to get met with a body kick. Cannonier knocks the mouthpiece sideways with a big right hand, and Vettori gathers it and reaches Cannonier with a right hand. Cannonier lines up a right hand down the middle, and Cannonier drills him with a right that marks up Vettori’s nose. Cannonier walks down his man and lands without fear, and he makes Vettori bend over so he can smack him with uppercuts. Cannonier drags Vettori to the floor and smashes him in the face with a right hand, and Vettori fights his way to his knee and feet while his face is transforming into a bloody visage. Cannonier is relentless, stalking Vettori down and lining up body shots and some others up top. Vettori backs Cannonier off with an elbow, but Cannonier is able to shake it off and pay him back. Cannonier tries to dump his foe to the floor, and Vettori reverses him and puts Cannonier on his seat. “The Killa Gorilla” desperately leaps back to his feet, and he breaks off from the clinch to get back to walking Vettori down. The two middleweights trade jabs, and Cannonier bops Vettori on the nose and finds his chin with two more hooks. Vettori puts two punches on Cannonier to make him reset, and his jab finds its home right before the bell.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier

Round 4
Having reached the championship rounds, they meet in the middle and Vettori starts off with a leg kick and a few jabs. Vettori has some bounce back in his step, and he flicks out a few punches and ignores the return fire. Cannonier blocks a head kick and drives Vettori back with an overhand right, and Vettori is able to blink it out and string a pair of punches to the face. Vettori sinks a body kick home, and he slips a Cannonier right hook to put two on Cannonier’s face. Cannonier connects with a solid low kick, and Vettori reaches out with his lead right hook. Vettori again goes high with a kick, and it lands off the guard with a loud thud. Vettori tags Cannonier with straight punches, and Cannonier answers with chopping leg kicks. Cannonier leans back and pounds Vettori in the face with a right hand, and he shoots in for a takedown to put Vettori down. Vettori powers his way back up, and Cannonier leads him over to the fence in the tie-up. Cannonier cannot keep him, as Vettori squirts out the side and starts flashing his jab again. Vettori counters a leg kick with a left hand, and he leans back as Cannonier throws a haymaker. Vettori walks into a hook to throw two more, and he gets his head snapped back with a fierce jab. Vettori gets knocked back with jabs, and a one-two gets Vettori’s attention. The Italian kicks the lead leg, and Cannonier answers him right back and follows suit with a right hook behind the ear. Vettori delivers a kick to the ribs, and he hops away as Cannonier rushes at him with big hands. Cannonier throws hard and misses the mark a few times, and they hand-fight in the open until Cannonier closes in to go after a takedown. Vettori shuts it down and moves back to the middle of the cage, and he gets just out of the way of a home run punch from his opponent. Cannonier cracks Vettori with a right hand, but Vettori’s beard is immeasurable. When Cannonier kicks low, Vettori replies with a one-two, and he concludes the round with a head kick and a straight left.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier

Round 5
With five minutes left to decide things once and for all, the middleweights do not waste more than a few seconds before engaging. Vettori aims a kick up high, and when Cannonier guards against it, Vettori kicks low. Cannonier makes him think twice about this with a hard right hand, and he eats one back as Vettori starts chattering to him. They trade power punches, and then power kicks, as nothing is off the table in this skirmish. They both pop out jabs, and Vettori wipes his nose and nods. Cannonier smashes his fist into Vettori’s nose, and Vettori is right there answering him back with a combination. Cannonier rings Vettori’s bell with a monstrous right hand, but somehow Vettori is still with it and pushes off with a knee. Cannonier connects with another big right hook, and he clinches up with Vettori in search of a few short strikes on the inside. Vettori pushes him away and absorbs a flush body kick, only to throw a high kick right back Cannonier’s way. Cannonier corners Vettori momentarily with a short salvo of punches, and Vettori again escapes out the side and resets. Cannonier lunges with straight punches, and Vettori jabs him in the face. “The Italian Stallion” does not land his head kick, and he slides away from one power punch but takes a second one. Cannonier hurts his foe with a hellacious pair of punches, and he muscles Vettori down to the floor and hopes to hammer the nail with ground-and-pound. Vettori clings to him, but Cannonier is able to posture up with a minute to go and rain down elbows. Vettori’s face starts spraying blood, and he still has the wherewithal to sit up and fight back to his feet. All the while, Cannonier is punching Vettori on the bloodied nose. Cannonier swings with bad intentions, and Vettori eludes them and catches Cannonier with a big punch of his own. Cannonier tries to hit one final takedown to conclude the match, but Vettori turns him around. The bloody, brutal firefight that likely set striking total records in the 185-pound division wraps up, and “The Italian Stallion” has miraculously made it to the final horn. The two men may very well find a post-fight bonus in their immediate future after that thrilling back-and-forth slugfest. At the tender age of 39, Cannonier may have put forth his finest performance to date, and he asks for either a title shot or a fight that will get him there. When that happens, we will unquestionably be here for it. We hope you are too.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier (49-45 Cannonier)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier (49-45 Cannonier)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier (49-45 Cannonier)

The Official Result
Jared Cannonier def. Marvin Vettori via Unanimous Decision (49-45, 49-45, 48-46)
Expert Picks (9)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Jun 11, 2023 (6 days before fight)
Marvin Vettori

Angelo picks Marvin Vettori, trusting his chin and pressure. He notes that Vettori's takedowns and volume should be effective against Jared Cannonier, who can be gun shy at 39. Vettori lands more significant strikes and has only lost to top competition. Angelo has a half unit moneyline bet on Vettori at minus 145.

"I'm confident in Marvin here I have a money line him at minus 145. I think Marvin vittori gets it done"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jun 10, 2023 (7 days before fight)
Marvin Vettori

Big Brady picks Marvin Vettori to win by decision. He believes Vettori will implement a wrestling-heavy game plan, pushing Cannonier against the cage and taking him down, similar to Israel Adesanya's second fight strategy. He notes Cannonier hasn't faced many wrestlers recently and has been taken down in the past by Derek Brunson and David Branch. Brady emphasizes Vettori's superior cardio, toughness, and durability, and thinks he can win minutes with control and grappling over 25 minutes. He does not expect a finish but sees a clear path to a decision win.

"I think Marvin vittori is going to go out there with that Israel adesanya game plan... I think he's going to implement that game plan here and I think he will have success."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Jun 14, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Cody initially gravitates toward Vettori due to his elite generalist skills, cardio, and durability, but he reconsiders after reviewing Cannonier's last fight against Sean Strickland, where Cannonier landed 141 significant strikes and proved he can maintain pace for five rounds despite his muscular build. He notes that Vettori's wrestling may not be good enough to take Cannonier down and hold him there, and that Vettori's last fight against Roman Dolidze was a close call where many thought he lost. Cody ultimately leans Cannonier for landing more damaging strikes, but acknowledges the fight could go either way and recommends betting live rather than pre-fight.

recommends betting live; mentions over 2 takedowns for Vettori but doesn't commit
"I think I'm gonna go with Cannon here"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Jun 15, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Marvin Vettori

Connor picks Vettori, citing his consistency, durability, and high output. He argues that Vettori is more reliable minute-to-minute than Cannonier, and that Cannonier's lack of a systematic approach will allow Vettori to outwork him. Connor expects a five-round decision where Vettori lands more strikes and edges out rounds.

"I'll take Vittori."
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Jun 15, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Daniel Levi picks Jared Cannonier, citing comparable volume but a significant power advantage for Cannonier. He notes Cannonier's high output against Strickland (140+ significant strikes) and believes Cannonier lands the harder shots that impress judges. He expects a decision win for Cannonier, though acknowledges a finish is possible. He also mentions Cannonier's leg kicks as a key weapon and Vettori's susceptibility to them. He got Cannonier at +100 and expects the fight to be close but favors Cannonier's power.

bet at +100, decision likely, leg kicks key
"I jumped on that plus 100 when it was available"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jun 13, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Cannonier lands more significant strikes over a prolonged period, similar to what Roman Dolidze did but for longer. Vettori's striking is improving but he will struggle to implement his clinch/grappling game because Cannonier is tough to keep in one spot and difficult to hold down. Cannonier keeps the fight upright, uses leg kicks and movement, and lands big shots down the middle. Vettori is very durable so Cannonier wins by decision.

"I'm gonna go with Jared Cannonier here because I feel like he can land the more significant strikes from a prolonged period of time... give me Jared cannonier by decision"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Jun 14, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Paul agrees with Cody, noting the line has shortened from +130s to near pick'em, which he considers sharp. He thinks Vettori can take Cannonier down but cannot hold him down and maintain position. He likes the over 2 takedowns prop for Vettori but is not fully committed. He leans Cannonier for landing more damaging strikes over 25 minutes but says anything could happen.

likes over 2 takedowns for Vettori
"I'm with you I I'm leaning towards Jared Cannon here just on Landing the more damaging strikes over the course of 25 minutes"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jun 13, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

The MMA Guru picks Jared Cannonier over Marvin Vettori, arguing Cannonier is more dynamic with leg kicks, body kicks, and elbows, while Vettori mostly boxes. He compares their common opponents: Cannonier held his own against Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya, while Vettori was schooled by both. He also notes Cannonier knocked out Derek Brunson, while Vettori went to a decision. He predicts a 49-46 decision win for Cannonier.

"I'm gonna be going with Ma I'm going Jared can near over Marvin Victoria... Cannon here has better leg kicks than Victoria"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Jun 15, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Zane picks Cannonier because he believes Cannonier's power will be the deciding factor. He notes that Cannonier is not consistent but has a 'get out of jail free card' with his power, and that Vettori has been pushed out of his fight by power punchers like Whittaker and Adesanya. Zane expects a close fight where Cannonier's power wins out over Vettori's durability and output.

"I'm going to stick with Cannoneer."
Decision (split) (49–46, 46–49, 49–46) R5 5:00
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Jared Cannonier 0 141 of 310 45% 141 of 310 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Sean Strickland 0 152 of 400 38% 157 of 410 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:48
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Jared Cannonier 0 16 of 43 37% 16 of 43 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Sean Strickland 0 13 of 48 27% 17 of 57 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:43
2 Jared Cannonier 0 25 of 58 43% 25 of 58 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Sean Strickland 0 28 of 73 38% 28 of 73 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Jared Cannonier 0 33 of 69 47% 33 of 69 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Sean Strickland 0 35 of 81 43% 35 of 81 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
4 Jared Cannonier 0 27 of 61 44% 27 of 61 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Sean Strickland 0 33 of 87 37% 34 of 88 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:05
5 Jared Cannonier 0 40 of 79 50% 40 of 79 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Sean Strickland 0 43 of 111 38% 43 of 111 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Jared Cannonier 141 of 310 45% 57 of 187 60 of 88 24 of 35 141 of 310 0 of 0 0 of 0
Sean Strickland 152 of 400 38% 126 of 365 24 of 32 2 of 3 152 of 400 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Jared Cannonier 16 of 43 37% 3 of 26 7 of 8 6 of 9 16 of 43 0 of 0 0 of 0
Sean Strickland 13 of 48 27% 9 of 43 4 of 5 0 of 0 13 of 48 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Jared Cannonier 25 of 58 43% 6 of 28 11 of 18 8 of 12 25 of 58 0 of 0 0 of 0
Sean Strickland 28 of 73 38% 23 of 64 5 of 8 0 of 1 28 of 73 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Jared Cannonier 33 of 69 47% 12 of 40 15 of 21 6 of 8 33 of 69 0 of 0 0 of 0
Sean Strickland 35 of 81 43% 28 of 73 5 of 6 2 of 2 35 of 81 0 of 0 0 of 0
4 Jared Cannonier 27 of 61 44% 14 of 39 11 of 18 2 of 4 27 of 61 0 of 0 0 of 0
Sean Strickland 33 of 87 37% 29 of 83 4 of 4 0 of 0 33 of 87 0 of 0 0 of 0
5 Jared Cannonier 40 of 79 50% 22 of 54 16 of 23 2 of 2 40 of 79 0 of 0 0 of 0
Sean Strickland 43 of 111 38% 37 of 102 6 of 9 0 of 0 43 of 111 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Jared Cannonier vs. Sean Strickland
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Strickland (-115), Cannonier (-105)

Round 1
It’s a striker’s delight for the final UFC match of this year, and it might be one with immediate championship implications depending on the result. Coming off his unsuccessful jaunt for the belt, the lead-fisted Cannonier (15-6, 8-6 UFC) is motivated for one last title run and has to get through Strickland (25-4, 12-4 UFC) to do so. On the other hand, Strickland’s last time out saw him get crushed by the current champ Alex Pereira, one in which he promises would be different should they meet again. Herb Dean will serve as the referee for the final UFC fight of the year, and it begins with a smile from the two fighters and an enthusiastic fist bump. The first strike that lands is a leg kick from Cannonier that bounces off the kneecap. Strickland takes notes and measures his jab, pawing it out a few times, and Cannonier bears down on him with two wide punches. Another Cannonier kick makes Strickland pick up the leg to attempt to check it, but he does not block it. Cannonier kicks high and then goes low to the calf again, and this one lands flush. Cannonier fakes an overhand right, and he lands at the end of a second one. Strickland does not bat an eye, reaching with jabs and slapping a kick to the hip. Cannonier steps through two jabs to plant a right hand on the jaw, and he closes in on Strickland as Strickland jabs repeatedly. A pair of oblique kicks land to the knee for Cannonier, and Strickland starts getting in his groove of jabs and short arcing lefts. “The Killa Gorilla” hits air when he launches an overhand right, and Strickland sees it coming and dodges a second. Cannonier plants the ball of his foot on the ribcage, and he backs Strickland up and cannot quite get around the guard or connect cleanly with a kick. Cannonier kicks to the side, and it gets caught. Strickland tosses Cannonier down to the floor, and Cannonier muscles his way back up without staying grounded. They both get back to their feet, and Strickland holds his man from behind while smacking him with right hands. Strickland does not go after a takedown, and he bails on the clinch when Cannonier turns around. Cannonier slowly walks forward, and he fakes with an overhand right and smashes his shin into the calf. Strickland takes a funny step and retreats, and he measures his jab to fluster the advancing Alaskan. A kick from Cannonier careens off the guard, and he fires one off with the other leg to the calf. One more on the inside makes Strickland preemptively pick up his lead leg, possibly showing that the kicks are bothering him. He skates out of the way of an advancing Cannonier, who cannot catch him with a power blow before the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier

Round 2
The middleweights touch ‘em up to start Round 2, and Cannonier delivers a leg kick home to begin. The kicks, and faked kicks, are making Strickland flinch. Cannonier winds up with a kick to the body, and when it gets caught, he is thrown to the mat again. Cannonier somersaults away and gets to his feet before Strickland can bear down on him and grab him, and they resume in the center of the cage. Strickland flashes out several jabs, and Cannonier is more reliant on power punches and kicks. Strickland dances out of the way when a right hand comes his direction, and he times the lunges of “The Killa Gorilla” with sharp jabs. The jab pace from Strickland increases as he sticks it on Cannonier’s face again and again, and he keeps it busy to not let Cannonier crowd him. Cannonier reaches the body with a right hand, and it is one-and-done while Strickland keeps jabbing him. Two heavy leg kicks find their target on the calf, and the second, Strickland swings his leg with it to take some of the sting out of it. Cannonier keeps beating on that left leg, forcing Strickland to start thinking about switching stances. Cannonier swings with all his might and comes up short with a haymaker of a right hand, and Strickland sees it and evades it. Cannonier fires another, and the left to set it up is the one that connects while the overhand right whiffs. Strickland sticks his man with a jab and a right hand, and he splits the guard with repeated jabbing. Cannonier cannot find the spot with his right hand, and they start talking to each other as Cannonier tells his foe to sit still. Cannonier kicks low and punches high, and the first lands while the second misses. “Tarzan” remains composed, swinging from side to side and dodging most of the power strikers while peppering the lunging Cannonier. As if we were shot out of a cannon, Cannonier charges, and his punches would blow back the hair if Strickland had any. Strickland keeps his distance and pops Cannonier with a few more lengthy punches until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Strickland
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Strickland
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Strickland

Round 3
Cannonier flicks his hand out to receive the half-hearted glove touch, and they pick up right where they left off, with Strickland imposing his jab-heavy game plan. Cannonier lightly oblique kicks the knee, and he gets stunned by a piston-like jab from Strickland. Cannonier connects with a solid leg kick, and he jabs to the midsection. Strickland splits the guard with a few more jabs and a push kick as well, and he starts to follow his jabs with slapping right hands on the side of the head. Cannonier kicks the body, and it hits the block without issue. A Cannonier overhand is blocked, and he kicks on the other side suddenly to slip beneath the guard. Strickland continues to fluster the power puncher with his effective jabs, and Cannonier cannot quite bridge the gap to land with his overhand right. “The Killa Gorilla” goes after the lead leg again, and Strickland’s expression has not changed one iota even while battling it out against a heavy striker. Cannonier finds the end of a right hand, and he chains another left hook into a right hand that knocks Strickland back into the wall. Strickland walks it off and continues to pepper with jabs, and he chains four punches together to drive Cannonier back. Cannonier loads up with two power blows, but he misses the mark cleanly by a matter of inches. Settling for a leg kick, Cannonier maintains a relatively high guard to anticipate the jabs that come. Strickland successfully checks a swinging leg kick, and he pecks at Cannonier with punches in small bunches. Cannonier swings for the bleachers and nearly ends up in the stands after missing with his powerful blows, and they begin to start chatting again. Cannonier targets the body with straighter lefts, and Strickland actively jabs comfortably. Cannonier scores at the end of a left hand, and the close round ends. It would not be surprising if judges possibly had it three rounds in favor of either man now.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Strickland
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Strickland
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Strickland

Round 4
Between rounds, Strickland’s coach slaps him in the face to get him going, as if Strickland weren’t already dealing with enough strikes coming his way. The top middleweights move into the championship rounds actively throwing hands, and Cannonier continues to press forward while Strickland is comfortable fighting off his back foot with jabs peppering his foe. Strickland gets off a trio of punches and a kick to the body, and he is answered with a leg kick that makes him pick it up ever so briefly. Cannonier walks through a jab to throw, but he does not swing it, just eating punches for nothing. Strickland powerfully checks another kick and plants two punches on the chin, and Cannonier is stalled out in front of his foe who is now starting to walk him down. Cannonier takes three clean punches that sting him, and he shakes it out but does not throw back. The jab has neutralized the offense for the last minute or two, and he connects with a one-two to decent effect. Cannonier sinks in an inside leg kick after a lull in offense, and he wings a heavy blow that glances off the shoulder. Strickland’s footwork and head movement keep him safe from harm when his jab does not keep Cannonier off of him. Strickland gets off a short left hand to drive Cannonier away, and he whips a high kick up and has a front kick graze off the jaw. Cannonier loads up with an overhand right and gets knocked back with a right hand for his handiwork. Cannonier takes a couple jabs on the jaw in an effort to march through then and throw hands, but Strickland sees them coming and moves. Strickland wraps his hands around the guard, and Cannonier finally finds his intended target with a few power punches. Strickland ties him up after absorbing the heavy shots, and he backs up against the wall and smiles. Strickland scores in response, and Cannonier comes at him right to the bell.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Strickland
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Strickland

Round 5
The last round of the last fight of the UFC this year is on, and the coaches are extremely fired up and trying to channel their energy to their fighters, not knowing how the judges are scoring this fight. Cannonier lashes out with a low kick, and Strickland pins a few punches on the chin with a little more heat on them. While jabbing and parrying, Strickland throws a little harder at his opponent. Cannonier jabs the body and hand-fights to find a way in, and he scores a left hand. Strickland staggers him with a few right hands over the top, and Cannonier talks to him and tells him to stand in front of him and trade. Cannonier swings hammers, and Strickland sticks and moves with a double jab and a right hand down the pipe. Cannonier rings his man’s bell with a right hand on the temple, and he snaps the head back with another as Strickland has to blink it out. “Tarzan” recovers and pushes out jabs and a short combo, and he absorbs a low kick on the way back. Cannonier unloads with two big punches that knock the head around, ignoring the jab so that he can connect cleanly. This second land from Cannonier wakes Strickland up, who strings together a lengthy combination as his nose begins to bleed. Strickland gets back into his jab-heavy approach, swatting away the punches that zoom past him. Cannonier sets up a jab and chain a right hand into it, and Strickland is getting marked up as Cannonier is ignoring jabs to strike. Cannonier swings with a back fist that goes wide, and he loads up on a left that breezes past the chin. The final minute begins with a brief brawl, and Cannonier strikes and gets knocked back by the responsive salvo. Strickland walks into a winging left hand and still stays composed sticking out jabs, and he catches an overswinging Cannonier with a few strikes. They both put big power into their strikes, and they throw fire in the form of punches, kicks and anything else they can muster until the bitter end. Neither man goes down, and they have reached the final bell. It truly could go either way. It was a fight. With this event in the books, we have reached the end of the year, with 42 UFC fight cards carrying on across 2022. Our next play-by-play will run on Jan. 14 in what could be a fun Fight Night event with a fantastic co-main event. Thank you for joining us this year on all of the action that the UFC has had to put on. We will be here for the next year, and we hope you are too.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier (48-47 Strickland)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Strickland (48-47 Strickland)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier (48-47 Strickland)

The Official Result
Jared Cannonier def. Sean Strickland via Split Decision (49-46, 46-49, 49-46)
Expert Picks (6)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Dec 11, 2022 (6 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Angelo picks Jared Cannonier, believing he is the more dangerous, stronger, and faster fighter. He thinks Cannonier has a good enough chin to handle Strickland's arm punches but needs to pick up the volume. He notes that if Cannonier lets his hands go, it could be one-sided, but if not, he could get jabbed to death. He considers Strickland overrated.

"I think Jared can win this fight he has a good enough chin to not have issues with the arm punches but he's gonna need to pick up the volume"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Dec 15, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Big Brady picks Cannonier, liking his power and expecting Strickland to stand and trade. He notes Strickland said he has no game plan and will just walk forward and brawl. He thinks Cannonier will have 25 minutes to land a big shot, especially since Strickland was recently knocked down. He predicts Cannonier wins by knockout, possibly in any round.

Cannonier wins by KO
"I'll take Cannon here to win I'll take Hannah near to win by really could be in any round I'll take anyone by knockout"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Dec 14, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Sean Strickland

Cody picks Strickland, believing he can execute a 25-minute game plan with high volume. He argues Strickland learned from the Pereira loss and can be smarter against Cannonier. He doesn't see Cannonier as an elite finisher like Pereira, so Strickland's durability and volume should earn a decision.

Strickland by decision plus 200
"I decided to go the other way and take Sean Strickland... I'm picking Sean Strickland but I don't necessarily think he's going to finish your kid in here"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Dec 17, 2022 (fight day)
Sean Strickland

Strickland's style is better suited for Cannonier than for a taller fighter like Alex Pereira. Cannonier's knockout power is overrated due to Strickland's recent KO loss, but Strickland's pressure and volume should wear on Cannonier as the fight goes on. Expect close first two rounds, then Strickland pulls away. Strickland's durability and pace are key.

2.28 units at -114
"I think that this is a solid fight for him uh you know I think Cannon your strike or knockout power um or at least knockout threat in this matchup is being a tad bit over exaggerated due to the fact that Strickland just got put up by Alex for a completely different strikers"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Dec 14, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Paul picks Cannonier because he believes Strickland needs to fight a perfect fight to win, while Cannonier can land a bomb. He notes Cannonier has five-round experience and cardio, and lands more damaging shots. He took Cannonier at plus money, acknowledging it's not a lock but his side.

Cannonier plus 100
"I actually took uh Jared Cannon near plus 100 is one of the few remaining plus plus money Wagers on the board right now"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Dec 13, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

The MMA Guru picks Jared Cannonier over Sean Strickland, predicting a second-round KO. He believes Strickland is too basic and readable on the feet, and Cannonier will find his chin with hooks over the jab. He notes Cannonier's reach advantage and leg kicks, and compares Strickland's vulnerability to Alex Pereira's striking. He thinks Cannonier is the next best contender after Whittaker and Adesanya, and that Strickland is not elite at middleweight.

round 2 KO
"I'm definitely going to be going with Jared Cannon here who I believe also has a reach Advantage"
Decision (unanimous) (49–46, 49–46, 50–45) R5 5:00
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Israel Adesanya 0 116 of 230 50% 163 of 277 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jared Cannonier 0 90 of 157 57% 141 of 217 0 of 4 0% 0 0 4:14
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Israel Adesanya 0 22 of 48 45% 22 of 48 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jared Cannonier 0 18 of 28 64% 18 of 28 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Israel Adesanya 0 28 of 48 58% 28 of 48 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jared Cannonier 0 19 of 31 61% 19 of 31 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Israel Adesanya 0 17 of 35 48% 35 of 53 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jared Cannonier 0 17 of 36 47% 38 of 62 0 of 2 0% 0 0 1:29
4 Israel Adesanya 0 24 of 45 53% 40 of 61 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jared Cannonier 0 16 of 36 44% 31 of 55 0 of 1 0% 0 0 1:18
5 Israel Adesanya 0 25 of 54 46% 38 of 67 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jared Cannonier 0 20 of 26 76% 35 of 41 0 of 1 0% 0 0 1:27
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Israel Adesanya 116 of 230 50% 60 of 165 26 of 31 30 of 34 114 of 226 2 of 4 0 of 0
Jared Cannonier 90 of 157 57% 36 of 89 32 of 40 22 of 28 78 of 143 12 of 14 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Israel Adesanya 22 of 48 45% 7 of 29 6 of 8 9 of 11 22 of 48 0 of 0 0 of 0
Jared Cannonier 18 of 28 64% 1 of 6 6 of 8 11 of 14 18 of 28 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Israel Adesanya 28 of 48 58% 12 of 32 9 of 9 7 of 7 28 of 47 0 of 1 0 of 0
Jared Cannonier 19 of 31 61% 6 of 15 9 of 11 4 of 5 19 of 31 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Israel Adesanya 17 of 35 48% 9 of 26 4 of 4 4 of 5 17 of 34 0 of 1 0 of 0
Jared Cannonier 17 of 36 47% 7 of 22 6 of 8 4 of 6 9 of 27 8 of 9 0 of 0
4 Israel Adesanya 24 of 45 53% 15 of 34 5 of 7 4 of 4 24 of 45 0 of 0 0 of 0
Jared Cannonier 16 of 36 44% 8 of 27 6 of 7 2 of 2 14 of 33 2 of 3 0 of 0
5 Israel Adesanya 25 of 54 46% 17 of 44 2 of 3 6 of 7 23 of 52 2 of 2 0 of 0
Jared Cannonier 20 of 26 76% 14 of 19 5 of 6 1 of 1 18 of 24 2 of 2 0 of 0
Expert Picks (7)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Jun 26, 2022 (6 days before fight)
Israel Adesanya

Angelo picks Israel Adesanya, citing his superior speed, technique, and counter-striking. He notes that Cannonier offers no takedown threat, making it a pure kickboxing match where Izzy is the better kickboxer. He acknowledges Cannonier's power but believes Izzy's defense and timing will prevail.

"I like izzy to win this fight but it will be very interesting to see what happened if jared lands clean"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jun 28, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Israel Adesanya

Big Brady is confident in Israel Adesanya, citing his size, speed, and striking advantage. He believes Cannonier has no clear path to victory, as wrestling is unlikely and striking on the outside favors Adesanya. He predicts a decision win, possibly a late finish if Cannonier rushes.

Adesanya by decision
"adasanya i'll say adasanya by decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Jun 29, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Israel Adesanya

Cody believes Adesanya is the cleaner striker and will manage range effectively. He notes Cannonier tends to wait on his punches and doesn't throw high volume, which will allow Adesanya to dictate the pace. He sees a decision victory or late stoppage as likely.

Adesanya over 76.5 significant strikes on PrizePicks
"I think he's going to be cleaner more polished stand up and uh you know on route to likely a decision Victory or maybe like a late stoppage"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Jun 30, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Israel Adesanya

Daniel Levi picks Israel Adesanya to win, citing his superior range, stance switching, and fight IQ. He notes that Adesanya's fainting game and variety of strikes make him difficult to deal with, and that Cannonier's only path is to capitalize on Adesanya's occasional defensive lapses. Levi acknowledges Cannonier's power and durability but believes Adesanya's technical edge will prevail. He mentions the line is about right and sees no value in betting at -500.

Line is about right; no value at -500; would have been interested at -300 to -400 for a parlay.
"on paper i mean you gotta favor izzy... the pick is easy"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jul 1, 2022 (1 day before fight)
Israel Adesanya

Adesanya is faster and more technical. Cannonier's path to victory is a KO, but Adesanya's defense and movement make that unlikely. Cannonier is not a proactive grappler and doesn't have exceptional cardio. Adesanya should win a decision, possibly a late finish.

Adesanya wins in round 4/5 or decision +115
"i think arizona wins no real resistance here in my opinion"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Jun 29, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Israel Adesanya

Paul thinks the line is too wide but still expects Adesanya to win. He highlights Adesanya's leg kicks and movement to stay out of danger, and notes Cannonier lacks the wrestling to exploit Adesanya. He sees a decision win but won't bet at -500.

Adesanya over 76.5 significant strikes on PrizePicks
"I don't think Jared Cannonier is a complete sitting duck in this spot... but I do think he wins"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jun 27, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Israel Adesanya

The MMA Guru picks Israel Adesanya to win by TKO in the fourth round. He believes Adesanya's leg kicks and range will be key, and that Cannonier, at 38, will take risks when behind on the scorecards, leading to a counter shot finish. He notes Cannonier's forearm injury from blocking kicks and expects Adesanya to capitalize.

fourth round TKO
"i'm gonna be going with israel to sanyo winning this one by fourth round tko"
KO (elbows) R2 4:29
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Jared Cannonier 0 55 of 89 61% 61 of 96 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:05
Derek Brunson 1 43 of 97 44% 48 of 103 3 of 13 23% 1 0 2:38
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Jared Cannonier 0 16 of 35 45% 18 of 37 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Derek Brunson 1 20 of 41 48% 25 of 46 2 of 9 22% 1 0 2:00
2 Jared Cannonier 0 39 of 54 72% 43 of 59 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:05
Derek Brunson 0 23 of 56 41% 23 of 57 1 of 4 25% 0 0 0:38
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Jared Cannonier 55 of 89 61% 42 of 75 8 of 8 5 of 6 38 of 71 12 of 13 5 of 5
Derek Brunson 43 of 97 44% 25 of 69 12 of 20 6 of 8 41 of 89 1 of 4 1 of 4
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Jared Cannonier 16 of 35 45% 13 of 31 2 of 2 1 of 2 9 of 28 7 of 7 0 of 0
Derek Brunson 20 of 41 48% 12 of 30 6 of 9 2 of 2 18 of 35 1 of 3 1 of 3
2 Jared Cannonier 39 of 54 72% 29 of 44 6 of 6 4 of 4 29 of 43 5 of 6 5 of 5
Derek Brunson 23 of 56 41% 13 of 39 6 of 11 4 of 6 23 of 54 0 of 1 0 of 1
Expert Picks (7)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Feb 6, 2022 (6 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Angelo picks Cannonier, believing he can defend Brunson's takedowns and land his power shots. He notes that even when taken down, Cannonier has knocked out high-level grapplers like Hermansson and Branch. He questions Brunson's chin and thinks Kelvin Gastelum, a better wrestler, couldn't keep Cannonier down.

"i've got to go with jared here i totally understand derrick brunson's wrestling is a threat but i like jared cannanier to defend those takedowns"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Feb 7, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Big Brady believes Cannonier's takedown defense at middleweight is excellent (85%), and he will be able to stuff Brunson's takedowns and get back up if taken down. He notes Brunson is chinny and has been knocked out five times, and Cannonier has the power to knock him out. He predicts Cannonier will end Brunson's winning streak with a first round knockout.

Cannonier by first round knockout
"i think cannonier ends the streak here for brunson... first round knockout"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Feb 9, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Cody agrees with Paul, noting Brunson's wins are over grapplers and that Cannonier is a tough takedown. He highlights Cannonier's strength and cardio, and expects Brunson to get desperate and clipped. He thinks the line should be closer to -250.

"i think it's a no-brainer cannon your pick as well"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Feb 10, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Daniel Levi picks Jared Cannonier to knock out Derek Brunson. He believes Cannonier's takedown defense has improved and that he will stuff Brunson's takedowns and put pressure on him. Levi notes that Brunson's opponents haven't been top-level and that Brunson has been knocked out multiple times. He is not crazy about the price and will probably pass on betting, but he thinks Cannonier wins.

pass on betting due to price
"I do think that cannonier stuffs these takedowns and knocks out derrick brunson"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Feb 8, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Cannonier has excellent takedown defense and knockout power. Brunson's wins have come against opponents with cardio or grappling issues, and he gets rocked in every fight. Cannonier should stuff takedowns and land a knockout. Brunson's grappling advantage won't be enough to hold Cannonier down. Expect a second-round KO.

Cannonier by KO in round 2; hefty wager expected
"i really like jared kadenier in this spot you know even though brunson's averaging 3.15 takedowns per 15 minutes and even though he's riding this five-fight winning streak"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Feb 9, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Paul thinks Brunson's recent wins are over stylistically favorable opponents and that Cannonier's takedown defense and power will be too much. He notes Cannonier stuffed takedowns from Whittaker and Gastelum, and that Brunson's chin is suspect. He expects Cannonier to knock Brunson out.

"i think this is when derek brunson's bad chin shows back up again"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Feb 7, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

The MMA Guru picks Jared Cannonier by third-round KO, citing his takedown defense, cardio, and power. He believes Brunson will slow down after failing takedowns and get caught with a left hook.

third round ko left hook
"i'm gonna go with jared cannon in here i think he's gonna ko derek branson"
Decision (unanimous) (48–47, 48–47, 48–47) R5 5:00
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Jared Cannonier 1 81 of 207 39% 91 of 218 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:02
Kelvin Gastelum 0 89 of 246 36% 89 of 246 0 of 8 0% 0 0 2:31
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Jared Cannonier 0 19 of 45 42% 19 of 45 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Kelvin Gastelum 0 22 of 57 38% 22 of 57 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:02
2 Jared Cannonier 0 17 of 43 39% 17 of 43 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Kelvin Gastelum 0 24 of 59 40% 24 of 59 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
3 Jared Cannonier 1 17 of 40 42% 17 of 40 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:02
Kelvin Gastelum 0 15 of 54 27% 15 of 54 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:19
4 Jared Cannonier 0 15 of 45 33% 19 of 49 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Kelvin Gastelum 0 16 of 41 39% 16 of 41 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:45
5 Jared Cannonier 0 13 of 34 38% 19 of 41 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Kelvin Gastelum 0 12 of 35 34% 12 of 35 0 of 3 0% 0 0 1:25
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Jared Cannonier 81 of 207 39% 51 of 162 20 of 31 10 of 14 79 of 205 2 of 2 0 of 0
Kelvin Gastelum 89 of 246 36% 48 of 187 22 of 36 19 of 23 88 of 243 1 of 3 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Jared Cannonier 19 of 45 42% 11 of 26 5 of 13 3 of 6 19 of 45 0 of 0 0 of 0
Kelvin Gastelum 22 of 57 38% 11 of 39 4 of 11 7 of 7 22 of 57 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Jared Cannonier 17 of 43 39% 10 of 35 2 of 3 5 of 5 17 of 43 0 of 0 0 of 0
Kelvin Gastelum 24 of 59 40% 15 of 47 4 of 7 5 of 5 23 of 57 1 of 2 0 of 0
3 Jared Cannonier 17 of 40 42% 12 of 33 5 of 6 0 of 1 16 of 39 1 of 1 0 of 0
Kelvin Gastelum 15 of 54 27% 9 of 45 5 of 8 1 of 1 15 of 54 0 of 0 0 of 0
4 Jared Cannonier 15 of 45 33% 9 of 38 6 of 7 0 of 0 15 of 45 0 of 0 0 of 0
Kelvin Gastelum 16 of 41 39% 6 of 28 7 of 8 3 of 5 16 of 41 0 of 0 0 of 0
5 Jared Cannonier 13 of 34 38% 9 of 30 2 of 2 2 of 2 12 of 33 1 of 1 0 of 0
Kelvin Gastelum 12 of 35 34% 7 of 28 2 of 2 3 of 5 12 of 34 0 of 1 0 of 0
Expert Picks (5)
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Aug 17, 2021 (4 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Big Brady picks Jared Cannonier, citing his reach advantage, power, and striking accuracy. He notes Cannonier is in his prime at 37, while Gastelum seems to be declining. He believes Cannonier's leg kicks and size will be key, and he predicts a third-round knockout, giving Gastelum his first KO loss.

third round knockout
"i'll take him here i think the six inches of reach is going to be huge"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Aug 18, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Kelvin Gastelum

Cody picks Gastelum as a dog, citing his cardio, five-round experience, and wrestling advantage. He notes Cannonier's low volume, hesitancy, and questionable cardio in longer fights, and points out Gastelum has never been knocked out. He suggests betting live after Gastelum loses early rounds.

Bet live after Gastelum loses first round or two; Gastelum has never been knocked out
"i think kelvin gaslin could hustle him up a plus 130 i'm going to take the dog shot here it's a dog or pass main event for me"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Aug 18, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Kelvin Gastelum

Gastelum is the better all-around fighter with five-round experience and cardio advantage. Cannonier has knockout power but has never been stopped, and his cardio is unproven in later rounds. I think Gastelum weathers the early storm and takes over in rounds 3-5, winning by decision or late finish.

Gastelum by decision (+225); live bet on Gastelum after round 1 or 2
"i'm gonna be taking calvin gaslum and i'm going to be taking gas limits uh via decision"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Aug 18, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Kelvin Gastelum

Paul agrees with Cody, picking Gastelum at plus money. He emphasizes Gastelum's durability (never knocked out) and Cannonier's potential gas tank issues in later rounds. He also mentions the possibility of betting Gastelum live if he loses early rounds.

Bet live if Gastelum loses early rounds; Gastelum has never been knocked out
"gun to my head i'm betting kelvin gastle in my plus 130"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Aug 15, 2021 (6 days before fight)
Jared Cannonier

The MMA Guru picks Jared Cannonier to win by TKO, focusing on leg kicks. He notes Cannonier's vicious leg kicks (as seen against Whittaker and Silva) and Gastelum's heavy lead leg and lack of leg support. He predicts Cannonier will chop down Gastelum's legs, then catch him with a straight right as Gastelum lunges. He also mentions Gastelum's quick turnaround and accumulated damage.

TKO via leg kicks and straight right
"i'm gonna go with jared cannon here by tko leg kicks i think will chop down kelvin gastelum"
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Robert Whittaker 1 69 of 151 45% 75 of 158 0 of 2 0% 0 0 2:10
Jared Cannonier 0 53 of 89 59% 58 of 94 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:30
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Robert Whittaker 0 25 of 56 44% 25 of 56 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jared Cannonier 0 19 of 29 65% 19 of 29 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Robert Whittaker 0 27 of 60 45% 27 of 60 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:06
Jared Cannonier 0 24 of 43 55% 24 of 43 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Robert Whittaker 1 17 of 35 48% 23 of 42 0 of 1 0% 0 0 2:04
Jared Cannonier 0 10 of 17 58% 15 of 22 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:30
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Robert Whittaker 69 of 151 45% 59 of 138 5 of 8 5 of 5 62 of 137 1 of 2 6 of 12
Jared Cannonier 53 of 89 59% 17 of 46 14 of 18 22 of 25 49 of 84 4 of 5 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Robert Whittaker 25 of 56 44% 18 of 47 2 of 4 5 of 5 25 of 56 0 of 0 0 of 0
Jared Cannonier 19 of 29 65% 3 of 12 5 of 6 11 of 11 19 of 29 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Robert Whittaker 27 of 60 45% 24 of 56 3 of 4 0 of 0 26 of 58 1 of 2 0 of 0
Jared Cannonier 24 of 43 55% 9 of 24 4 of 6 11 of 13 24 of 43 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Robert Whittaker 17 of 35 48% 17 of 35 0 of 0 0 of 0 11 of 23 0 of 0 6 of 12
Jared Cannonier 10 of 17 58% 5 of 10 5 of 6 0 of 1 6 of 12 4 of 5 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Jared Cannonier vs. Robert Whittaker

Round 1
The co-main event draws a major middleweight tilt between ex-champ Whittaker (21-5, 12-3 UFC) and the devastatingly powerful Cannonier (13-4, 6-4 UFC), with the latter racking up three knockouts in three appearances in the division. This high-stakes clash is officiated by referee Anders Ohlsson, and the two men have nothing but respect for one another and touch gloves before throwing down. Cannonier begins with a heavy leg kick, and Whittaker reacts instantly. Whittaker pops forward with a jab, and Cannonier avoids it and takes a leg kick of his own with far less impact. Whittaker darts in with another jab, and Cannonier kicks his leg out beneath him. Both men fall over when throwing high kicks, and both scramble back to their feet to reset. Whittaker slams his leg into Cannonier’s body, and Cannonier blocks a subsequent head kick. The former champ sticks out a jab and throws a high kick, and both trade leg kicks. Whittaker checks one but takes two of these leg kicks, and Whittaker’s knee is already welting up. “Bobby Knuckles” catches him with a left hand coming in, and he checks another leg kick. Whittaker swings and misses with a head kick, and a left hand hurts Cannonier and sends “The Killa Gorilla” backpedaling. Whittaker sneaks up a head kick in a combination, and he punctuates it with an inside leg kick. Whittaker reaches with a right hand, and he leans back to avoid a front kick coming at him. The American kicks across Whittaker’s legs, and Whittaker swings and misses in a counter. “The Reaper” – Whittaker sports two nicknames officially – connects with a right hand, but he eats another hard leg kick. Whittaker blitzes from the outside, and he lands a few jabs. Whittaker narrowly misses a huge right hand, and Cannonier is there to greet him with another leg kick. Whittaker keeps jabbing, and he gets off his own leg kick but misses with an overhand left that Cannonier ducks. The former champ flings up a head kick, and Cannonier is barely able to block it in time. Cannonier digs to the body with a kick, and a front kick from the Alaskan ends the round.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Whittaker
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Cannonier
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Whittaker

Round 2
The two middleweights touch gloves to clock in the second stanza, and Whittaker begins with a right hand. He scores a left hand to send Cannonier falling back, and he evades a right hand to score a few jabs. Whittaker chases Cannonier around with punches, and he uses the jab to disrupt the power punches of his adversary. Whittaker slings a head kick that is barely blocked in time, and Cannonier responds in kind. Whittaker stings Cannonier with an uppercut, and Cannonier circles around to score a leg kick. Whittaker absorbs another leg kick, and he snaps out a few jabs to solid effect. Cannonier sneaks in another leg kick and follows it with a combination, but he allows Cannonier to respond and get countered with a stern right hand. Whittaker lets loose a front kick and gets kicked in the leg when he sets it down. Both men trade right hands, and Cannonier’s face is showing some damage from the Whittaker jab. Whittaker follows his jabs with a few crisp right hands, and Cannonier attacks the lead leg with a few more kicks. Whittaker keeps his hands low as he circles around, and he dings Cannonier a few more times at the damaged eye. Cannonier responds with a chopping leg kick, but Whittaker stands before him and continues to pepper him with the jab. Whittaker punches his way into a takedown attempt, and he puts Cannonier down briefly. When “The Killa Gorilla” gets upright, Whittaker flings a head kick at him that skims off the side of the head. Cannonier cracks him with a right hand and a leg kick, and Whittaker doubles and triples up on the jab before sending a right hand down the pipe. A double jab to a right hand from Whittaker lands on the jaw, and Cannonier composes himself as the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Whittaker
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Whittaker
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Whittaker

Round 3
One final glove touch checks in the round, and Whittaker fires a left-right early. Cannonier blocks them and Whittaker is loose, bouncing around before tossing up a front kick that splits the guard. Whittaker nails Cannonier with a power jab, and Cannonier staggers and backs up. Whittaker’s one-two into a head kick hammers Cannonier on the chin, and Cannonier is on baby deer legs falling about the cage. Whittaker leads an assault of strikes before bowling Cannonier over to his back, where the former champ steps over into half guard. Whittaker sets up an arm-triangle choke and hops over to half guard on the other side instead of taking the mount position. Seconds later, “Bobby Knuckles” gains mount, and he postures up to land a few punches. Cannonier spins around but gives up his back, and his face is bloodied and battered as Whittaker fishes for a choke. Cannonier powers his way out and up, and he pushes Whittaker up to the fence. “The Killa Gorilla” rips a few knees to the body as Whittaker rests against the fence, but the two separate and get back to the center of the cage. Cannonier fires off a head kick but Whittaker blocks it easily and goes back to his jab. A quick jab hurts Cannonier again, and Whittaker keeps it flowing and makes Cannonier stagger around. He sticks Cannonier with a jab coming in, but Cannonier walks through it and rips the body with a kick. Cannonier hurts Whittaker with a right hand, and Whittaker is in trouble as Cannonier barrels towards him. Cannonier lands another right that does some damage, so the former champ shoots in for a takedown. Whittaker cannot get it, and he avoids a knee to the head to push into the clinch. The round ends with Whittaker locked in the clinch with Cannonier.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Whittaker (30-27 Whittaker)
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-9 Whittaker (29-28 Whittaker)
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-9 Whittaker (30-27 Whittaker)

The Official Result
Robert Whittaker def. Jared Cannonier via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Expert Picks (4)
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant picked Oct 20, 2020 (4 days before fight)
Robert Whittaker

Big Brady hesitantly picks Robert Whittaker, acknowledging he is the better fighter overall but concerned about his chin and durability. He notes Whittaker's higher output and potential takedowns, but fears Cannonier's power. He predicts a decision win for Whittaker if he stays out of trouble.

decision
"i'm gonna pick the fighter i think is better in robert whittaker"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Hesitant picked Oct 23, 2020 (1 day before fight)
Jared Cannonier

Daniel Levi picks Jared Cannonier, citing his devastating power and calf kicks that could slow Whittaker's movement. He notes that Whittaker fights with his hands down and has been dropped in his last three fights, making him vulnerable to Cannonier's power. Levi acknowledges Whittaker's path to a decision but believes Cannonier's power and durability give him the edge, especially if he can land early or chop down the legs.

Wishes it was dog money so he could call it an upset; mentions Cannonier's calf kicks as a key weapon
"i'm going to actually go with jared cannonier to win this fight"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Oct 19, 2020 (5 days before fight)
Robert Whittaker

The host picks Robert Whittaker, citing his superior skill set, movement, and volume. He acknowledges Cannonier's power but believes Whittaker can evade the big shots and win a decision. He notes that Whittaker's durability is a concern but expects him to outpoint Cannonier.

Whittaker by decision
"i am leading robert whitaker i think he's going to win by decision"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Oct 16, 2020 (8 days before fight)
Robert Whittaker

The MMA Guru picks Robert Whittaker to win by unanimous decision (30-27). He notes that Whittaker's oblique kicks will annoy Cannonier, who has been out for a long time (since 2019) and had pectoral surgery. He believes Whittaker's in-and-out style and defensive awareness will outpoint Cannonier, though he initially considered a TKO before settling on a decision.

unanimous decision
"i'm going to go with whitaker by unanimous decision"
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Jared Cannonier 0 20 of 42 47% 22 of 45 1 of 6 16% 0 0 0:45
Jack Hermansson 1 28 of 53 52% 29 of 54 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:22
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Jared Cannonier 0 18 of 39 46% 20 of 42 1 of 6 16% 0 0 0:45
Jack Hermansson 0 10 of 32 31% 11 of 33 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:10
2 Jared Cannonier 0 2 of 3 66% 2 of 3 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jack Hermansson 1 18 of 21 85% 18 of 21 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:12
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Jared Cannonier 20 of 42 47% 5 of 21 2 of 5 13 of 16 19 of 41 1 of 1 0 of 0
Jack Hermansson 28 of 53 52% 21 of 43 2 of 3 5 of 7 10 of 34 1 of 2 17 of 17
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Jared Cannonier 18 of 39 46% 5 of 20 2 of 5 11 of 14 17 of 38 1 of 1 0 of 0
Jack Hermansson 10 of 32 31% 4 of 23 1 of 2 5 of 7 9 of 30 1 of 2 0 of 0
2 Jared Cannonier 2 of 3 66% 0 of 1 0 of 0 2 of 2 2 of 3 0 of 0 0 of 0
Jack Hermansson 18 of 21 85% 17 of 20 1 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 4 0 of 0 17 of 17
TKO (leg injury) R1 4:47
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Jared Cannonier 1 17 of 31 54% 18 of 32 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:09
Anderson Silva 0 8 of 15 53% 8 of 15 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Jared Cannonier 1 17 of 31 54% 18 of 32 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:09
Anderson Silva 0 8 of 15 53% 8 of 15 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Jared Cannonier 17 of 31 54% 5 of 16 2 of 3 10 of 12 14 of 27 3 of 4 0 of 0
Anderson Silva 8 of 15 53% 1 of 6 3 of 4 4 of 5 7 of 14 1 of 1 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Jared Cannonier 17 of 31 54% 5 of 16 2 of 3 10 of 12 14 of 27 3 of 4 0 of 0
Anderson Silva 8 of 15 53% 1 of 6 3 of 4 4 of 5 7 of 14 1 of 1 0 of 0
TKO (punches) R2 0:39
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Jared Cannonier 0 10 of 25 40% 13 of 28 3 of 10 30% 0 0 1:58
David Branch 1 26 of 56 46% 31 of 61 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:42
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Jared Cannonier 0 9 of 21 42% 12 of 24 3 of 9 33% 0 0 1:58
David Branch 0 13 of 35 37% 17 of 39 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:28
2 Jared Cannonier 0 1 of 4 25% 1 of 4 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
David Branch 1 13 of 21 61% 14 of 22 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:14
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Jared Cannonier 10 of 25 40% 8 of 21 0 of 1 2 of 3 8 of 21 1 of 1 1 of 3
David Branch 26 of 56 46% 22 of 52 2 of 2 2 of 2 5 of 28 11 of 14 10 of 14
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Jared Cannonier 9 of 21 42% 7 of 18 0 of 0 2 of 3 8 of 18 0 of 0 1 of 3
David Branch 13 of 35 37% 10 of 32 2 of 2 1 of 1 2 of 21 11 of 14 0 of 0
2 Jared Cannonier 1 of 4 25% 1 of 3 0 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 3 1 of 1 0 of 0
David Branch 13 of 21 61% 12 of 20 0 of 0 1 of 1 3 of 7 0 of 0 10 of 14
TKO (punches) R1 2:55
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Dominick Reyes 0 6 of 21 28% 10 of 26 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jared Cannonier 1 20 of 52 38% 21 of 53 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Dominick Reyes 0 6 of 21 28% 10 of 26 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jared Cannonier 1 20 of 52 38% 21 of 53 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Dominick Reyes 6 of 21 28% 4 of 18 0 of 1 2 of 2 6 of 20 0 of 1 0 of 0
Jared Cannonier 20 of 52 38% 7 of 33 5 of 11 8 of 8 19 of 49 1 of 3 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Dominick Reyes 6 of 21 28% 4 of 18 0 of 1 2 of 2 6 of 20 0 of 1 0 of 0
Jared Cannonier 20 of 52 38% 7 of 33 5 of 11 8 of 8 19 of 49 1 of 3 0 of 0
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Jan Błachowicz 0 26 of 87 29% 41 of 103 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:22
Jared Cannonier 1 50 of 127 39% 65 of 143 4 of 5 80% 0 0 2:49
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Jan Błachowicz 0 6 of 32 18% 7 of 33 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:22
Jared Cannonier 0 22 of 47 46% 25 of 50 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:04
2 Jan Błachowicz 0 6 of 26 23% 11 of 32 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jared Cannonier 1 19 of 45 42% 27 of 53 2 of 2 100% 0 0 0:44
3 Jan Błachowicz 0 14 of 29 48% 23 of 38 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jared Cannonier 0 9 of 35 25% 13 of 40 2 of 2 100% 0 0 2:01
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Jan Błachowicz 26 of 87 29% 17 of 68 1 of 8 8 of 11 23 of 79 0 of 2 3 of 6
Jared Cannonier 50 of 127 39% 35 of 108 6 of 9 9 of 10 47 of 120 0 of 1 3 of 6
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Jan Błachowicz 6 of 32 18% 3 of 23 0 of 4 3 of 5 6 of 30 0 of 2 0 of 0
Jared Cannonier 22 of 47 46% 14 of 36 2 of 4 6 of 7 22 of 46 0 of 1 0 of 0
2 Jan Błachowicz 6 of 26 23% 4 of 22 0 of 1 2 of 3 4 of 21 0 of 0 2 of 5
Jared Cannonier 19 of 45 42% 14 of 40 2 of 2 3 of 3 17 of 40 0 of 0 2 of 5
3 Jan Błachowicz 14 of 29 48% 10 of 23 1 of 3 3 of 3 13 of 28 0 of 0 1 of 1
Jared Cannonier 9 of 35 25% 7 of 32 2 of 3 0 of 0 8 of 34 0 of 0 1 of 1
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Jan Blachowicz vs. Jared Cannonier

Round 1
Blachowicz catches the incoming Cannonier with a body kick, but Cannonier keeps pressing forward. Cannonier lands a body shot of his own as he muscles Blachowicz against the fence in a Thai clinch. Blachowicz breaks out and sticks his jab in the face of Cannonier, whose forward pressure continues through the middle of the round. Blachowicz wheels up with a left high kick that clips Cannonier, then follows with a pair of straight punches. Cannonier swings forward, trying to get some striking going, but Blachowicz slips out and circles away. Leg kicks are working for Cannonier here in the final two minutes. Blachowicz misses with a pair of punches but lands a body kick on the end of the combo.

Sherdog Scores
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Blachowicz
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Blachowicz
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Blachowicz

Round 2
Blachowicz snaps off a hard jab as Cannonier moves forward, and Cannonier replies with a low kick that spins the Polish fighter in place. Blachowicz fires a left high kick but can't find the mark, and Cannonier makes him pay with another clean low kick. Blachowicz sticks a jab, gets grazed by an overhand right Cannonier counter. Blachowicz fakes a jab and changes levels to drive Cannonier to the floor with a powerful double-leg. Cannonier works his way back to his feet within 30 seconds, and the 205ers resume their striking. A pair of straight punches from Blachowicz sends Cannonier to his seat in the center of the cage, and Blachowicz follows him to the mat. Cannonier rolls to his knees, then back to his feet; as he tries to disengage with Blachowicz, Cannonier pokes the Pole in the right eye. Referee Herb Dean pauses the fight, but Blachowicz needs only a few seconds to recover. Sixty seconds left in the middle stanza, and Blachowicz continues to pump his jab in Cannonier's face. Blachowicz lands a left hand, changes levels and drives Cannonier to the floor with another powerful takedown. This time, Blachowicz is able to keep Cannonier on the floor until the end of the round, though Cannonier is able to land a few elbows and punches from his back.

Sherdog Scores
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Blachowicz
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Blachowicz
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Blachowicz

Round 3
Cannonier grazes Blachowicz's temple with an overhand right, but "The Killa Gorilla" doesn't follow up on the strike. Another right hand over the top knocks Blachowicz backward a few steps, but again it's just a single strike from Cannonier. Seventy seconds in, Cannonier is starting to find the mark with some heavy blows, twice clipping Blachowicz on the chin with blasting right hands. Blachowicz circles out to the center, breathing heavy, and uses some long punches and high kicks to try and keep Cannonier out of striking range. Cannonier certainly looks to be the fresher fighter as they hit the midway point of the final round, but he may need a finish here to win the fight. Cannonier overcommits to a combination, allowing Blachowicz to change levels and score another takedown. It's only a few seconds before Cannonier posts and stands. Blachowicz takes him right back to the ground and rides out the majority of the final minute on top. Cannonier rolls to his knees in the last 20 seconds and just makes it back to his feet before the horn.

Sherdog Scores
Jordan Breen scores the round 10-9 Blachowicz (30-27 Blachowicz)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Blachowicz (30-27 Blachowicz)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Cannonier (29-28 Blachowicz)

The Official Result
Jan Blachowicz def. Jared Cannonier via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) R3 5:00
TKO (elbows) R3 2:08
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Jared Cannonier 0 84 of 150 56% 86 of 152 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:34
Nick Roehrick 0 28 of 160 17% 29 of 161 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:14
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Jared Cannonier 0 25 of 50 50% 25 of 50 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:05
Nick Roehrick 0 10 of 66 15% 10 of 66 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:12
2 Jared Cannonier 0 45 of 75 60% 47 of 77 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:22
Nick Roehrick 0 14 of 72 19% 15 of 73 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Jared Cannonier 0 14 of 25 56% 14 of 25 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:07
Nick Roehrick 0 4 of 22 18% 4 of 22 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:02
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Jared Cannonier 84 of 150 56% 75 of 140 5 of 6 4 of 4 57 of 118 18 of 23 9 of 9
Nick Roehrick 28 of 160 17% 22 of 141 6 of 19 0 of 0 25 of 152 3 of 8 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Jared Cannonier 25 of 50 50% 25 of 49 0 of 1 0 of 0 21 of 44 4 of 6 0 of 0
Nick Roehrick 10 of 66 15% 8 of 61 2 of 5 0 of 0 9 of 62 1 of 4 0 of 0
2 Jared Cannonier 45 of 75 60% 37 of 67 5 of 5 3 of 3 29 of 56 11 of 14 5 of 5
Nick Roehrick 14 of 72 19% 11 of 61 3 of 11 0 of 0 12 of 69 2 of 3 0 of 0
3 Jared Cannonier 14 of 25 56% 13 of 24 0 of 0 1 of 1 7 of 18 3 of 3 4 of 4
Nick Roehrick 4 of 22 18% 3 of 19 1 of 3 0 of 0 4 of 21 0 of 1 0 of 0
Decision (unanimous) (30–26, 30–26, 30–26) R3 5:00
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Glover Teixeira 0 24 of 53 45% 113 of 179 3 of 3 100% 1 0 10:37
Jared Cannonier 0 21 of 46 45% 40 of 66 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:10
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Glover Teixeira 0 8 of 16 50% 30 of 46 1 of 1 100% 1 0 3:34
Jared Cannonier 0 9 of 15 60% 19 of 25 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:10
2 Glover Teixeira 0 13 of 26 50% 39 of 60 1 of 1 100% 0 0 2:30
Jared Cannonier 0 11 of 29 37% 16 of 34 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Glover Teixeira 0 3 of 11 27% 44 of 73 1 of 1 100% 0 0 4:33
Jared Cannonier 0 1 of 2 50% 5 of 7 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Glover Teixeira 24 of 53 45% 19 of 47 4 of 5 1 of 1 14 of 36 1 of 1 9 of 16
Jared Cannonier 21 of 46 45% 19 of 44 1 of 1 1 of 1 18 of 41 2 of 4 1 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Glover Teixeira 8 of 16 50% 5 of 13 2 of 2 1 of 1 4 of 10 1 of 1 3 of 5
Jared Cannonier 9 of 15 60% 8 of 14 1 of 1 0 of 0 6 of 10 2 of 4 1 of 1
2 Glover Teixeira 13 of 26 50% 11 of 24 2 of 2 0 of 0 10 of 23 0 of 0 3 of 3
Jared Cannonier 11 of 29 37% 11 of 29 0 of 0 0 of 0 11 of 29 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Glover Teixeira 3 of 11 27% 3 of 10 0 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 3 0 of 0 3 of 8
Jared Cannonier 1 of 2 50% 0 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 1 1 of 2 0 of 0 0 of 0
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Jared Cannonier 0 45 of 142 31% 50 of 148 6 of 7 85% 0 0 4:45
Ion Cuțelaba 0 59 of 94 62% 83 of 121 0 of 2 0% 0 0 3:10
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Jared Cannonier 0 24 of 53 45% 25 of 54 2 of 2 100% 0 0 2:20
Ion Cuțelaba 0 11 of 17 64% 16 of 22 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:36
2 Jared Cannonier 0 8 of 18 44% 12 of 23 3 of 3 100% 0 0 2:12
Ion Cuțelaba 0 21 of 25 84% 36 of 42 0 of 2 0% 0 0 1:52
3 Jared Cannonier 0 13 of 71 18% 13 of 71 1 of 2 50% 0 0 0:13
Ion Cuțelaba 0 27 of 52 51% 31 of 57 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:42
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Jared Cannonier 45 of 142 31% 30 of 122 11 of 15 4 of 5 25 of 103 10 of 19 10 of 20
Ion Cuțelaba 59 of 94 62% 45 of 80 7 of 7 7 of 7 41 of 74 13 of 15 5 of 5
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Jared Cannonier 24 of 53 45% 15 of 42 7 of 9 2 of 2 13 of 31 6 of 9 5 of 13
Ion Cuțelaba 11 of 17 64% 7 of 13 2 of 2 2 of 2 9 of 15 2 of 2 0 of 0
2 Jared Cannonier 8 of 18 44% 7 of 16 1 of 2 0 of 0 1 of 8 2 of 3 5 of 7
Ion Cuțelaba 21 of 25 84% 15 of 19 3 of 3 3 of 3 12 of 16 4 of 4 5 of 5
3 Jared Cannonier 13 of 71 18% 8 of 64 3 of 4 2 of 3 11 of 64 2 of 7 0 of 0
Ion Cuțelaba 27 of 52 51% 23 of 48 2 of 2 2 of 2 20 of 43 7 of 9 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Jared Cannonier vs. Ion Cutelaba

Round 1
Cutelaba gets right in Cannonier's face with a barrage of punches, a few of which appear to get through. Cannonier backpedals and bounces off the fence, then circles to the other side of the cage. Cannonier waits for Cutelaba to come forward and then plunks the Moldovan with a neat right hand over the top. Cutelaba gets tied up briefly, separates and then swings back at Cannonier with a heavy right hand, a body blow. Cannonier wraps him up again, pressing Cutelaba against the fence with an underhook while referee Yves Lavigne calls for action. Cutelaba turns the clinch into a throw, landing Cannonier on his back. Cutelaba threatens with a footlock, stands and drops a hard right hand on Cannonier's face. Back down to the ground comes Cutelaba, then back up to look for more ground-and-pound opportunities. Cannonier finally picks the ankle and trips Cutelaba to the ground, then both light heavyweights scramble back to their feet. Cannonier tries to push Cutelaba to the fence with underhooks, but Cutelaba uses the position to hurl Cannonier back to the ground. Cannonier grabs for a foot, can't get one and stands up to close out the final 20 seconds.

Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Cutelaba
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Cutelaba
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Cutelaba

Round 2
Cutelaba scores an early takedown and feeds a few right hands to Cannonier as the American struggles back to his feet. Cannonier slips around to the back and sits to pull Cutelaba to the ground, but Cutelaba sweeps to top position before Cannonier can establish back-mount. Cutelaba stands over his grounded opponent, and Cannonier threatens with upkicks until he's able to stand. The 205ers separate with three minutes left, and suddenly Cutelaba is looking tired, breathing heavy as he backs away from Cannonier's power punches. Cutelaba cuts short the assault with a well-timed takedown in the center of the cage. Cannonier climbs back to his feet, wraps up Cutelaba with a standing rear waistlock and pulls him to the ground. With one minute on the clock, Cannonier works from half guard atop the tired, bloody-nosed Cutelaba. Cannonier gets through with a few short punches, now a thudding right hand to the body. Cannonier is still grinding away with short elbows and body blows when the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Cannonier
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Cannonier
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Cannonier

Round 3
Cutelaba sends a few heavy right hands off the gloves of Cannonier, who answers with a jab and a nasty kick to the body. Cannonier works from the center, Cutelaba circling the outside; when Cutelaba steps to the center to swing punches, Cannonier sidesteps and is nowhere to be found. Cutelaba gets a quick takedown, but Cannonier is back on his feet almost immediately, then socks Cutelaba out of the pocket with a big right hand to the face. Cannonier counters a low kick with a stiff jab that turns Cutelaba's head sideways. Cannonier's counter right hands are landing with regularity now, and Cutelaba's power punches are starting to come up short more often than not. Cannonier is on the march midway through the final frame, pressing forward to slug Cutelaba with an uppercut. Cutelaba gets staggered with a whipping right hand, then eats a one-two from Cannonier as he tries to escape. Cutelaba slows things down with a clinch on the fence; Cannonier reverses to the outside, but the Moldovan is locking down his arms to prevent punches. Cannonier gets his hands free and begins tagging the body and chin of Cutelaba with uppercuts. Cannonier is marching forward on Cutelaba with hands by his waist; Cutelaba tries to make him pay for the showmanship, but his backfist only bounces off Cannonier's face. Cannonier gets the final word with an uppercut and a left hand just before the final horn.

Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round 10-9 Cannonier (29-28 Cannonier)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Cannonier (29-28 Cannonier)
Mike Sloan scores the round 10-9 Cannonier (29-28 Cannonier)

The Official Result
Jared Cannonier def. Ion Cutelaba via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) R3 5:00
KO (punches and elbows) R1 2:44
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Jared Cannonier 1 27 of 34 79% 27 of 34 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:05
Cyril Asker 0 13 of 39 33% 13 of 39 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:40
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Jared Cannonier 1 27 of 34 79% 27 of 34 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:05
Cyril Asker 0 13 of 39 33% 13 of 39 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:40
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Jared Cannonier 27 of 34 79% 15 of 22 9 of 9 3 of 3 17 of 24 4 of 4 6 of 6
Cyril Asker 13 of 39 33% 10 of 35 3 of 4 0 of 0 12 of 38 1 of 1 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Jared Cannonier 27 of 34 79% 15 of 22 9 of 9 3 of 3 17 of 24 4 of 4 6 of 6
Cyril Asker 13 of 39 33% 10 of 35 3 of 4 0 of 0 12 of 38 1 of 1 0 of 0
KO (punches) R1 2:57
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Shawn Jordan 1 12 of 31 38% 13 of 32 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:03
Jared Cannonier 0 10 of 20 50% 10 of 20 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Shawn Jordan 1 12 of 31 38% 13 of 32 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:03
Jared Cannonier 0 10 of 20 50% 10 of 20 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Shawn Jordan 12 of 31 38% 10 of 27 1 of 2 1 of 2 8 of 25 0 of 0 4 of 6
Jared Cannonier 10 of 20 50% 5 of 12 0 of 1 5 of 7 10 of 20 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Shawn Jordan 12 of 31 38% 10 of 27 1 of 2 1 of 2 8 of 25 0 of 0 4 of 6
Jared Cannonier 10 of 20 50% 5 of 12 0 of 1 5 of 7 10 of 20 0 of 0 0 of 0