Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Whatever Cannonier is doing, his second round TKO of Jack Hermansson at UFC on ESPN+ 18 implies he should keep doing it.
During his post-fight victory interview at UFC Copenhagen, Jared Cannonier said something interesting that stuck out a little to me.
When asked how he stayed so calm and cool through the promotion of his first main event fight ever, he responded “It’s mind over matter. It’s that simple. I make it a point to not let anything that I don’t want to bother me, it’s not going to bother me. I have power over the entire universe, and if I so see fit to let it enter me, I will.”
Control over the entire universe, huh? Well, I’m sure it’s just part of a useful mental exercise he uses to stay focused on his fights … not some crazy Infinity Stones type super-power thing. Right? Right???
Well, during his interview with the ESPN+ post-fight show, Cannonier revealed that maybe all that is a little bit like the Infinity Stones. Host Rashad Evans asked him about a big ol’ gleaming rock he was Jared was fiddling with during the interview.
“Let me hold that right quick.”@TWooodley wants a piece of @killagorillamma‘s “metaphysical” pyrite stone #UFCCopenhagen pic.twitter.com/KPnZfJgwP8
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) September 28, 2019
“This is piece of pyrite, and it has all types of … I think it has metaphysical properties,” Cannonier explained. “And some of the properties that I like to draw from it are the negation of bad energy, negative energy. Get yourself some pyrite, man. I wear it, I walk with it. I’ve been getting into a lot of energy work. Working with stones of the earth. Just expanding my horizons.”
We’re sure Cannonier credits his coaches and teammates and hard work as well for the win, because of course he does. Every fighter does. But vibing off earth stones for mental strength and violent knockout power? We don’t know if that puts Jared on the same level as Diego Sanchez, but they’re certainly travelling in similar astral dimensions.
Cannonier is undoubtedly moving up the ranks from the #9 slot with his defeat of #5 ranked Jack Hermansson. High enough to start calling for a title shot? Well, we don’t know about that. But he’s definitely interested in watching next week’s middleweight championship fight between Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya.
”I will be watching it with three eyes open,” he said.