Jared Cannonier Assesses Whether UFC 293 Backup Role Will Yield Title Shot

Originally posted on MMA News | Last updated 9/5/23

Jared Cannonier hasn’t been promised anything by the UFC, but he’d certainly like to be given the next middleweight title shot after he serves as the backup fighter for UFC 293 this weekend.

Currently the UFC’s #3-ranked middleweight contender, Cannonier challenged Israel Adesanya for the division’s title last year at UFC 276 and lost a unanimous decision. The 39-year-old rebounded by defeating Sean Strickland in the UFC’s final main event of 2022, and most recently Cannonier put on one of the most impressive performances of his career when won a dominant decision over Marvin Vettori in June.

Strickland is set to challenge Adesanya for the middleweight title at UFC 293 this Saturday, and earlier this week it was revealed that Cannonier is in Australia to weigh-in as the official backup fighter for that matchup.

Jared Cannonier Considers Whether Backup Role Will Lead To Title Shot

Colby Covington is now the presumed next challenger for the welterweight title after he previously served as a backup fighter at UFC 286, and during fight week MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn asked Cannonier if he hopes to get a similar opportunity after UFC 293.

“Well, I certainly hope that it’s a shared sentiment, right?” Cannonier said. “But nobody said anything to me. Either way, my ranking speaks for itself. I’m ready to get in there and fight for the title, I’m ready to get in there and win the title. It’s not just talk this time. I feel it in my bones, I feel in my spirt, I feel it in the cosmos. But I’m ready to get in there and do some work, I’m ready to do some damage against anybody.”

Cannonier’s last performance against Vettori certainly seemed to indicate he might be ready for another crack at UFC gold, however the main obstacle between himself and another title shot is likely the #1-ranked middleweight contender Dricus Du Plessis.

The UFC wanted to schedule a matchup between “Stillknocks” and Adesanya as the main event of UFC 293 after the pair squared off in the cage at UFC 290. Du Plessis unfortunately indicated he wouldn’t be ready in time to fight in Australia, and the UFC elected to slot Strickland in as the first challenger of Adesanya’s second reign as champion.

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