Jared Cannonier returned to the middleweight win column earlier tonight (Sat., Dec. 17, 2022) at UFC Vegas 66 live on ESPN+ from inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, when the former title challenger earned a close-knit decision over striker Sean Strickland.
Cannonier got off to a more active start as “Killa Gorilla” attacked with leg kicks and power right hands. Strickland regained some momentum in the second round with forward pressure, but Cannonier turned the tides again in the third with hard right hands.
Strickland’s output turned up in the fourth round as Cannonier relied on his power too much. Cannonier fired back in the fifth, but Strickland’s jab kept him on the scoreboard. In the end, it was “Killa Gorilla” who walked away with the split decision.
The official scorecard can be seen above courtesy of UFC. Who do you think won?
Cannonier, 38, was coming off a title fight loss to Israel Adesanya at UFC 276 this past July. This wasn’t the greatest of performances, but “Killa Gorilla” still did enough to stay afloat in the middleweight top 5. However, Cannonier might want to turn the pressure up in his next outing if he wants to continue to headline UFC events.
For complete UFC Vegas 66 results and coverage click here.