In the Clinch: Cannonier Eager to Showcase Improvements vs. Strickland, UFC Vegas 66 – Jared Cannonier is over the loss to Israel Adesanya at UFC 276. He’s been over the loss for some time. There was a somber period of reflection of course, but the title fight loss forced Cannonier (15-6-0), 38, to get on with making improvements.
The clock is ticking for Cannonier’s championship aspirations. He’s currently No. 3 in the division but he’s probably a whisper in the current title shot conversation. He knows he needs a big win over No. 7 Sean Strickland (25-4-0), 31, to stay in there.
Of course, Strickland has other ideas. He is known for being a loose cannon in press conferences and it was no different this week. But don’t let that fool you; the man is well schooled in the octagon. It didn’t quite work out for him against the current champion Alex Pereira or the former champ Kamaru Usman. However, you get the impression that despite his self-deprecating humour, he does want to entertain from the position of middleweight champion.
And so, this should be a technical fight more than a straight banger. Cannonier is looking to avoid shots and connect. Strickland says he hasn’t thought of a game plan yet, but I’m sure his coaches will have one that is similar. This could lead to a tight contest with less action, with 
both fighters carefully looking for openings.
If one fighter lands in early trouble, it could lead to somebody having to open up. That could give us some Stephen Thompson – Kevin Holland vibes.
As an aside, Holland must be given full marks for electing to strike with Thompson. While he lost the fight, he earned a lot of respect from fans and fighters alike.
And if Uncle Dana is giving out $50K for finishes again for holiday cheer, that might change a few game plans on Saturday.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a healthy 2023 to all!
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Jared Cannonier
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