With UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya looking to compete at UFC 293, Jared Cannonier plans on positioning himself in a prime spot.
Cannonier (16-6 MMA, 9-6 UFC) meets fellow former middleweight title challenger Marvin Vettori (19-6-1 MMA, 9-4-1 UFC) in the UFC on ESPN 47 headliner on June 17 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Since losing to Adesanya (23-2 MMA, 12-2 UFC), Cannonier rebounded with a win over Sean Strickland. He wants to finish Vettori to stake his claim as No. 1 contender for Adesanya on the Sept. 10 card in Sydney.
“I’m getting ready,” Cannonier told Middle Easy. “I will definitely be ready to fight in Sydney. My passport is up to date, my bags will be packed, and the way I plan on performing, I’m definitely gonna be ready to step in and make it happen. But who knows?
“There’s talks of him going up to light heavyweight and doing the champ-champ thing again. It’ll be interesting to see how it plays out. Either he goes up to light heavyweight and fights Jamahal (Hill) out there, or they have no choice but to put me in there because I’m definitely calling for it after I put Marvin’s lights out.”
Finishing Vettori will be no easy task considering the Italian fighter has never been stopped in in 26 professional fights. But “The Killa Gorilla” says he won’t give Vettori any room to breathe when they fight.
“As soon as the ref says go, I’m putting it on him,” Cannonier said. “I ain’t gonna waste no time. Pressure, aggression and passion that I’ve put into this whole camp, that I’ve put into my whole career. I’m just gonna let it all go in there in the octagon. It’s gonna be fun. I want to go in there, have some fun. I just love this sport. I love going in there and performing.”
