Key Stats: 12 knockdowns landed (tied 2nd all-time among MW), 64.5% significant strike defense (6th all-time among MW), 0.97 knockdowns per 15 minutes (5th)
Order UFC 276: Adesanya vs Cannonier
What It Means: Adesanya is a masterful striker. Almost every strike contains layers rich with feints, setups and traps, but to start the fight, “The Last Stylebender” focuses on establishing the basics. He establishes his long jabs and leg kicks early to find a rhythm and range before opening up a little more – he particularly likes throwing a question-mark kick after a low kick. If an opponent brings the fight, it allows him to flex his slick head movement and footwork that opens up his counter strikes. On the front foot, Adesanya is constantly switching stances and feinting to overload his opponent’s defense. Adesanya’s defensive grappling is stern, and he shows good technique when forced to sprawl or disengage along the fence. Once he gets free, he likes to immediately put pressure on his opponent.
Jared Cannonier
Key Stats: 0.92 knockdowns per 15 minutes (6th), 4 KO/TKO wins (tied 4th), 58.5% significant strike defense (10th)
What It Means: “Tha Killa Gorilla” is a patient, powerful fighter with the utmost confidence in that fight-ending power carrying deep into fights. He works mostly off low leg kicks, and he’ll switch his stance in order to get to the outside of his opponent’s lead leg if necessary. When he presses forward, Cannonier likes to pick his shots mostly one at a time. His jab and cross are both powerful, and he will also throw a right high kick, as well. When he is moving backward and countering, that’s usually when hooks and combinations come, and Cannonier does well to pivot and keep his back away from the fence.
UFC 276 COUNTDOWN: Adesanya vs Cannonier | Volkanovski vs Holloway 3 | Munhoz vs O’Malley | Full Episode
What to Look For in the Fight: Adesanya often starts fights searching for his opponent’s looks and tells before getting into his own groove. Both fighters like to establish their leg kicks early, and they’re methodical starters, so the first round might feature an extensive feeling-out process. It shouldn’t be a stagnant fight, however, as both are comfortable pressuring as well as countering, so the exchanges should pack lots of intensity once they start. Cannonier has the range and power to play the outside game with Adesanya, although that is usually a dangerous proposition for Adesanya’s opponents. If Cannonier only throws single shots, that’ll give Adesanya plenty to counter off of and string together some of his beautiful combinations, but he’ll need to be aware of Cannonier’s one-shot power. Cannonier also has great physical strength, especially in clinches, and he could have some success getting Adesanya against the fence and striking from there.
