Top middleweight contenders Jared Cannonier and Derek Brunson will collide for a spot in the crowded 185-pound title chase when they throw hands at the upcoming UFC 270 pay-per-view (PPV) event on Jan. 22 inside Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
Let’s hope Brunson is no longer training with janitors and homeless guys, because the hard-hitting Cannonier is looking to make a huge statement next month in “The Golden State,” one that may end with a new hairstyle and some ground beef patties.
“I’m about to bust open this UFC middleweight division wide open as soon as I turn ‘Blonde Brunson’ into ‘Blood Brunson’ because I’m going to bloody him up,” Cannonier told “The Schmo” (transcribed by Farah Hannoun). “I’m going to batter him up. ‘Ground Beef Brunson’ – whatever the hell you want to call him. I’m going to beat this man up and then I’m going to move on to my title, and I plan on doing the same thing to each and every person after that. When I get my hand raised, I will get the title fight. I’m going to knock the shit out of this guy, and I’m going to earn this title shot.”
Brunson (23-7), ranked one spot below Cannonier at No. 4, has not tasted defeat since falling to Israel Adesanya at UFC 230 back in Nov. 2018. In the time since they last fought, Brunson has captured five straight wins, while “The Last Stylebender” went on to beat Robert Whittaker for the middleweight title.
As for Cannonier (14-5), who like his fight night opponent is 37 years old, he’s won four of his last five with his only blemish during that span coming at the hands of Whittaker. “The Killa Gorilla” has already been named by Adesanya as the most dangerous fighter in the 185-pound division, a fact not lost on Brunson.
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