Jared Cannonier celebrates after beating Kelvin Gastelum at
Jared Cannonier: Once more into the fray
Jared Cannonier is 40 years old. That was an issue we raised when he fought Nassourdine Imavov two months ago and it’s an issue this weekend against Caio Borralho. Father Time is undefeated, as the old saying goes and Jared Cannonier is out to fight not only Borralho, but age itself. There’s more to prove than a simple win in the UFC’s middleweight division. Cannonier is out to prove something to himself.
The stumble: Jared Cannonier getting off track
After tearing his MCL at the end of 2023, it’s quite astounding that Jared Cannonier returned just six months later and fought as well as he did against Nassourdine Imavov. He was knocked out in round four and that finish was a bit controversial. Cannonier was still coherent and protested the fight being called off from referee Jason Herzog.
If you remember in our lead up to that fight, Cannonier was already 40 ahead of the fight. He was coming off of that injury to his MCL. Things looked grim for the heaviest hitter at 185. The return was quick and Cannonier had some unique looks against Imavov.
But at the end of the day, Jared Cannonier lost. Disputed by him or not, Cannonier was finished for the first time since his days at light heavyweight. His loss to Imavov was a major set back for his hopes at a title shot. With Dricus Du Plessis the ruler of the division, Cannonier, like many others, are chomping at the bit to get a piece of that.
Late career resurgences
We’ve talked about Glover Teixeira in the past and how his experience was what was going to win him the title going into the Jan Blachowicz fight. Teixeira became the light heavyweight champion after losing his first shot to Jon Jones roughly eight years earlier. Randy Couture was 45. Anderson Silva was champion until he was 38. Chuck Liddell, Michael Bisping, Bas Rutten, the history of MMA is littered with fighters becoming champion at an older age.
Jared Cannonier is on the cusp of becoming one of the greatest late career champions. He has a tough task in his way: a young buck in Caio Borralho who thinks it’s high time to take the fifth ranked aging contender out off of a devastating injury and loss.
Jared Cannonier can stay in contention to become one of these Cinderella stories or going down as a niche fighter remembered for being on the brink but not quite able to get over the hill.
