No. 3 ranked middleweight contender Jared Cannonier is made up our minds to form his return to the octagon this Saturday in the principle match of UFC Vegas 34 when he faces no. 9 ranked contender Kelvin Gastelum.
Cannonier has no longer fought since he used to be defeated by no. 1 contender and frail UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in the co-most foremost match of UFC 254 in Oct. 2020.
Gastelum, on the numerous hand, shall be preventing for the third time in 2021 when he faces off against Cannonier.
The 29-year-outdated worn kicked the year off with a victory when defeated Ian Heinisch by unanimous decision at UFC 258 in February. Nonetheless Gastelum suffered a unanimous decision loss to Robert Whittaker when he stuffed in on fast see for Paulo Costa in the principle match of UFC Vegas 24 in April.
Talking at UFC Vegas 34 media day, Cannonier said he doesn’t factor in Gastelum as his desired opponent at this point in his profession.
“Kelvin used to be the lone standout at the same time as you are going to, of what’s the notice– of opponents that I’d tell yes to,” Cannonier said at media day. “If they’d have gave me any individual with no number subsequent to their name, that may perhaps well maybe had been a raze of my time. No longer essentially, because I take hang of to fight, and I’ll fight any one, however so far as my profession goes that’s no longer the one who I favor.”
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Cannonier added that even supposing Gastelum used to be no longer the first fighter Cannonier would have wanted as an opponent, he took the fight because he held him in high regard.
“Kelvin isn’t wonderful, given the build. I favor a contender’s fight, I are attempting to fight for the title,” Cannonier said. “Nonetheless in a mode, Kelvin is great because I appreciate him a lot. I realize who he’s and what he’s and what he’s performed. From his performances I can perceive the issues that he’s succesful of and I simply know the game. I know the game.
“We know how fights trip, so I know I can perceive what Kelvin has brought in his remaining fight and I’m smartly privy to the likelihood he items in there. We’re all privy to his standing so far as being a fighter [in] MMA. The number 9 subsequent to his name, the actual fact that there’s a number there may perhaps be solely. It’s form of admire the an analogous build I was in when I fought Hermansson. He used to be ranked number three, I was ranked number 9. So it’s roughly admire the precise identical thing, however we’re gonna have a various ending.”
With a make a choice over Gastelum, Cannonier can also with out deliver win himself with a high 5 opponent for his subsequent fight.
