For the first time in several years, the UFC middleweight title picture is fairly open.
A convincing win over Sean Strickland at UFC 312 firmly established Dricus Du Plessis’ title reign with a batch of intriguing contenders ahead of him. However, despite his fourth-round TKO of Gregory “Robocop” Rodrigues in the UFC Vegas 102 main event and having no previous history with Du Plessis, Jared Cannonier is not one of them.
Even at 40, Cannonier has shown few signs of slowing down. In many ways, he is the current generation’s Yoel Romero — a powerful, athletic striker who has remained atop the division into his 40s. Romero fought for the title at 43 — albeit in a fight nobody enjoyed watching — suggesting Cannonier can do the same.
Like Romero, Cannonier was one of former champion Israel Adesanya’s five title defenses. In many similar situations, former titleholders and challengers have a quicker path back to the belt, especially with a different champion in office. Regardless, even with his impressive win over Rodrigues, Cannonier’s championship window is all but shut.
Unfortunately for “The Killa Gorilla,” the win might be the most impressive of his career. Entering the matchup on a two-fight losing streak, he was set up to fail against the up-and-coming finishing machine who trains at an elite gym.
As he always does, Rodrigues got off to a quick start, knocking Cannonier down twice in Round 1. But the veteran’s durability and resiliency reigned supreme and he eventually outlasted the former Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion.
Nevertheless, the win merely ended a rough stretch for Cannonier, making him just 1-2 in his last three fights. Overall, he is still just 5-4 since 2020 with two knockout wins. That stretch includes his title loss to Adesanya, a fight that ended to a chorus of boos from a restless crowd.
With Cannonier approaching 41, the UFC is not above putting aging fighters in title fights, but it does hold grudges against those who fail to perform under the brightest lights.
Adesanya and Cannonier’s 25-minute stinker headlined an International Fight Week card that capped off a week full of build-up, pre-fight promos and heated exchanges. Even with Du Plessis, a beloved action fighter, holding the belt, Cannonier is nowhere near a second title fight.
More than anything, the timing works against Cannonier. Assuming he can make it to the cage, Khamzat Chimaev is the next man up for Du Plessis. Behind him, Caio Borralho and Nassourdine Imavov — both of whom are coming off lopsided victories over Cannonier — are knocking down the door.
It would likely take at least two more wins and a near miraculous wave of good luck for the Dallas native to land back in a pay-per-view headlining position.
In the modern UFC, it is hard to rule out any possibility. Nobody saw Sean Strickland challenging for the belt, much less winning it, in 2023. All any fighter needs in a sport as recency-biased as MMA is a single win to change their general perception from the fan base. Either way, a win over an unranked fighter, as gutsy as it was, does not move Cannonier any closer to another title fight.
