Jared Cannonier was the second choice to fight Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294.
Unfortunately, “Killa Gorilla” blew out his MCL within an hour of getting the nod to step up and battle “Borz” on Oct. 21 in Abu Dhabi, which led to matchmakers calling former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman.
“The Nigerian Nightmare” dropped a decision to Chimaev after three rounds of action.
“Not 40 minutes into practice [after the call], we’re working, I get hit with a mat return,” Cannonier explained to Submission Radio. “I’m getting up, we’re working get-ups and stuff. Of course we’re working get-ups, right? Because I’m not expecting to not get taken down by Khamzat. I’m expecting that this guy’s going to be able to take me down, but he’s not going to be able to keep me down. So that’s why I was working get-ups. And I got up, I got hit with a mat return. And when I hit the mat I hit the mat in the way to where my left hip and my right foot hit the mat at the same time, and just the downward force of me hitting the ground in that manner went right to my MCL, tore the MCL. I got the MRI, verified it. So, this opportunity, not only an hour after receiving the opportunity, does it slip through my hands in that manner.”
Cannonier is scheduled to have surgery on Thursday.
“As hard as it was, I had to pull out of that fight,” Cannonier said. “As hard as it’s gonna have to be, I may have to pull out of this next fight with (Roman) Dolidze. Where does that put me when I come back? I don’t know, man. Hopefully I don’t have to be the second or third choice to fight these type of guys. Because I’m here to hurt people. I just broke a record. I’m only getting better at doing that and I’m building on that. So, please hear me when I say this, Mick (Maynard), Dana (White), Hunter (Campbell), and to all these fighters, I know you want the entertainment aspect, but that pain I’m gonna implement in my fights, is gonna be satiation enough for the crowd, it’s gonna be enough to draw the attention and spark that primal thing in people. That’s not gonna go away, that’s not gonna be trivial, it’s gonna be real.”
Cannonier, 39, is coming off back-to-back victories over Sean Strickland and Marvin Vettori, the latter of which set a division record for most significant strikes landed. “Killa Gorilla” was previously attached to a Roman Dolidze headliner later this year; however, that bout appears to be in jeopardy after his recent knee injury.
Expect an official announcement in the coming days.