"No chip on my shoulder" - Jared Cannonier describes his outlook towards Israel Adesanya ahead of UFC 276
Jared Cannonier isn't interested in creating some sort of fake feud with Israel Adesanya coming into their middleweight title fight at UFC 276. Instead, he's looking at it as an opportunity to create energy with a fellow martial artist that he respects.
Cannonier has always walked to the beat of his own drum and has a deep affinity towards crystals and energy fields. When it comes to fighting Adesanya in Las Vegas on July 2, he believes their energy will combine to generate one of the wildest fights fans have seen in a long time.
Speaking to Submission Radio, he discussed his headspace coming into his first title shot.
"I ain't got no chip on my shoulder whatsoever. I feel the same way about him that I've always felt. He's another man, another black man, we're both on the same path. He's on a path, his path to greatness. I'm on my path to greatness ... I don't want to poeticize the whole thing, but I don't see him as my enemy or anything like that. I see us as co-workers, I see us as two guys hustling, we found our hustle, we found our niche, and we're going to exploit it to the best of our ability."
🖤 #UFC254Jared Cannonier charging his crystals in the sun on Fight Island is me and I am him 🤣💎🌴🖤 #UFC254 https://t.co/YHudShWgqI
"We're working together to make some s*** happen. On the outside it looks like we're punching and using hate and violence and s*** but that ain't it at all. He's a martial artist, I'm a martial artist. We're going to come together, we're going to create energy and create the best f***ing thing you guys have ever seen on TV."
Watch the full Submission Radio interview with Jared Cannonier below:
Jared Cannonier comes into UFC 276 looking very well rounded. While he established himself as a heavy hitter at middleweight, his most recent fight against Derek Brunson showed Cannonier is more than capable of landing takedowns and delivering brutal ground and pound.
That’ll do it… Jared Cannonier with the KO of Derek Brunson in the third https://t.co/RxCj4foShq
Jared Cannonier doesn't plan on going to the judges' scorecards against Israel Adesanya
While Jared Cannonier could win his fight against Israel Adesanya on the feet or on the ground, he doesn't feel confident about winning a decision against 'The Last Stylebender.' Speaking to Submission Radio, Cannonier said:
"I'm not trying to go to the decisions. I'm not trying to go to the scorecards with this man. I ain't trying to have five-round wars with him. He's too f***ing good. You know what I'm saying? .. The longer I'm in there with him, the better chance he has of winning and vice-versa... I ain't trying to go in there and have no wars, man. I ain't trying to shorten my career."
Jared Cannonier's comments point towards a strategy that doesn't involve hanging back and hoping to eke out rounds on the judges' scorecards. That may be smart given how ineffective the strategy has been for other fighters facing Adesanya.
On the other hand, opponents who have taken the fight to Adesanya aggressively have often ended up knocked out, like Paulo Costa and Derek Brunson.
Adesanya knocks down Brunson 4 times in 23 seconds to get the KO/TKO finish. 💯 https://t.co/7UfPWPJTIl