Israel Adesanya will defend his middleweight title against Jared Cannonier in the UFC 276 pay-per-view main event on Saturday in Las Vegas.
Israel Adesanya has had his way with the UFC middleweight division for four years running. Eleven fights, 11 wins, the last 10 coming either in championship fights or against currently-ranked 185ers.
So when the current champion at 185 pounds says Jared Cannonier, his upcoming opponent in the UFC 276 pay-per-view main event on Saturday from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, isn’t the greatest challenge of his career — it comes across less as trash talk and more as analysis. At least Cannonier’s middleweight run has the look of a deserving challenger and not simply a default option for the 32-year-old Adesanya, who represents both his birth place and his home since adolescence . The Dallas native, originally a heavyweight and light heavyweight before settling at 185, is 5-1 at this weight with four finishes.
“His back is against the wall,” Adesanya said. “That’s why I have to respect him. This is his only shot at greatness, so I have to respect that.