In terms of how that building will translate into his fight with Strickland, Cannonier said he wanted to create a “car crash.” Knowing the way Strickland likes to move forward, Cannonier knows his wrestling and grappling abilities will come into play. He also took note of Pereira’s knockout of Strickland, and semi-jokingly brought up potentially working in some left hooks of his own when the fight is taking place on the feet.
Since making his middleweight debut in November 2018, Cannonier is 5-2 (with four knockouts), his only losses coming to former champions Adesanya and Robert Whittaker. Although some would see Cannonier’s age (38) as a sign that he is nearing the twilight of his career, he feels otherwise. If anything, he feels like the best is yet to come.
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“If I was fighting the me that fought Israel, I would whoop my ass right now,” he said. “I feel like a much better, different fighter, different animal. It is going to be a different approach, a different Killa Gorilla.”
Like every other middleweight contender, Pereira’s comeback victory over Adesanya rejuvenated his own title hopes. Despite a likely rematch between the longtime rivals, Cannonier said the Brazilian’s victory puts the spotlight more on the division as a whole rather than just on Adesanya’s individual accomplishments.
