Middleweight contender Jared Cannonier spoke to members of the press at the official UFC Vegas 75 media day ahead of his …
what’s up Jared how are we doing this week we’re doing good real good last time I found in the pants they look very comfortable well thank you very much they are very comfortable I’ve gotten a couple of comments from them too so um there you go setting Trends I picked right I chose them correct wisely if you will at this point does it kind of feel you’re crossing the names of the middleweight rankings one by one and Marvin inventory is just the next logical guy for you to meet in the cage well I feel like he was one of the last ones so one of the last guys at the top of the division who I’ve um gotten to the octagon with and um I felt like it was only a matter of time before we we crossed paths so um I wouldn’t say that I’m crossing names off you know that sounds a bit uh pretentious if you you know but uh sure is it a funny one where because you guys are in the division and and the top half that division is so strongly held there right you guys are always going to be just neck and neck is it one of those ones where oh well I’ve had to be watching this guy for basically his whole career so I kind of know what to expect when we do fight um to a certain degree yes um but no man can’t really go into any any of these fights expecting anything um or you’re going to be surprised so I’m just going to be more open-minded and uh yeah just be more open-minded prepared for anything that he brings um yeah I’m gonna leave it at that okay yeah he’s uh you know I feel like a lot of people kind of just brand him as like hey oh he’s a Grappler he comes wrestle heavy because of the way he fought atasanya but then against Paul Acosta In This Very building he just went for a massive stand-up War so do you kind of like you just said have to be ready for everything but he kind of in your mind thinking well I’m pretty dangerous on the feet he’s probably more likely to go this way or are you thinking well maybe he wants to prove something to try and get that Izzy fight back he’ll maybe go this way what are your sort of predictions almost um as hmm I would say a general consensus is you guys are going to want to try to wrestle me unless they’re just stand up guys you know so uh but who knows you know um like again I’m not going into this fight with any expectations except for me performing to the best of my ability and getting that finished that’s what I’m going for so uh if he does want to Grapple it’ll be to his detriment anybody who’s ever tried to Grapple me if he’s watching my fights has been to their detriment you know it hasn’t been easy to to hold me down um and it’s going to be damn near impossible to get me down now because I feel like I’ve grown a lot in that in that area and um you may even see me take him down to be honest I’m sure he’ll love hearing that he’s a kind of a fiery character what do you make of him as a personality you know I remember when he fought Israel his press conference was wild he seems like a guy who kind of switches pretty quickly do you make much of him as a personality uh he is who he is you know he’s got all the confidence in the world and himself and rightfully so you know he’s put in a lot of work he’s been in like you say he’s been in the top of division for a long time so um um yeah you know I ran into him yesterday um you know it’s a little minor Small Talk ask him how he was doing he responded respectfully and uh I shook his hand and you know let express my uh expressed that it was definitely going to be a pleasure and honor to get into the cage with one of the best in the division and uh he sort of reciprocated you know what I mean so it’s all respect for me you know what I mean I respect any man who’s walking the same path that I’m walking you know walking a similar path that I’m walking I’m not I’m no hater you know what I mean so uh ain’t got no hate towards a man I don’t have to be angry with him to go in there and and do what I do what I have to do to get that finish and put a hurting on him so uh this is all business as far as that goes um but I don’t wish nothing ill upon him you know what I mean so uh he is who he is and we all have that you know have that uh god-given right to be who we want to be and I don’t see him uh doing anything that uh I would deem you know that will put him on The Executioner’s block if you will so yeah there it is you’ve mentioned the word finish twice now and here’s a notoriously hard guy to finish he’s eating crazy shots Rob Whittaker was tearing off on him for a while you know Paula Costa hit him with some big bombs you know he’s not a guy who goes away easy what is it about you that can sort of break the chin if you want of my Victoria well I punched pretty hard and I’m getting pretty good at making my fists connect to guy’s chin not only my fists but my shins my feet knees and elbows um if I get them on the ground it’s definitely more it’s definitely going to be uh some elbows coming down if you will so uh that’s my goal you know I don’t go into these fights wanting to win a decision or out Point somebody you know look good on the score cards you know what I mean I’m going there to incapacitate my opponents that’s that’s it you know what I mean either by knocking you out which is you know uh the uh most the more efficient fastest path to Victory if you will submissions you know what I mean I got a couple of submissions on my record it’ll be nice to get my first submission in the Octagon um so there yeah you know or I just batter his face in until he till his Corner throws in the towel or the doctor says hey you can’t take any more or something I just want to finish you know what I mean so that’s all I go for especially since the fact especially considering the fact that he hasn’t been finished um I’d love to be the first guy to break that cherry cool two more quick ones for me you know I feel that you’re going to answer this question almost every time you fight again is what are the stakes for this one you know you want that rematch with Israel he’s shown an interesting drinks to plessis or it’s likely if not Him Gonna Be Rob in Sydney you said your pass was ready to go down there do you think you mentioned finish if you get that finish you can actually push away past all these guys and be like hey I’m there and I’m ready potentially but um what’s been said has been said they already said that’s a contenders match but I want to go in there and perform the best of my ability and I know that I can open some eyes and drop some Jaws if you will and maybe break a jaw if you will you know so uh that’s the plan man go in there and perform the best of my ability and show Dana Mick Hunter Sean whoever else needs to see that uh I’m ready to I’m ready for this second shot at the title not only just the shot at the title I’m ready to take the title from the best uh uh from Israel yeah lost it for me how do you see that rub drink his fight guy I mean I feel like Drake is being written off by quite a large uh population in the MMA Community for you do you think he has a shot I think anybody has a shot in this game you know dracus has been much uh kind of a bus in his in his last couple of fights Rob is a very good tactician though you know what I mean so um I think that’s why people have been people would write them off but um who knows how that fight is going to go maybe he can take a shot and get a hold of Robert and then tie Robert out Robert slows down drinks doesn’t slow down as we see you know um so um who knows how that fight is going to go um it’s going to be a fun one to watch that’s for damn sure it’s always fun watching the reaper do his thing and Jenkins has been exciting his last couple of fights too um other than that you know uh I’ll just be watching as a fan and uh have that professional vested interest as well you know uh so yeah hey Jared uh I explained your thoughts on Israel getting his getting his belt back at UFC 287 by knocking out Alex Perry just what were your thoughts did you expect that like just everything um when Fortune fights I try not to go into into any of these fights with any expectations I hold true to the fact that I’ve said uh hold you to the uh my statement that these fights can go anyway you know what I mean all of us here at the top of division have a very good chance of getting the win you know so um um so yes I was yeah I was watching it I was uh very entertained by it you know it was a little dicey in there it looked kind of like the first the end of the first fight and the end of the first round of the first fight you know so uh a lot of uh correlations going on there and um the first time Alice got it done on the fifth this time Israel got it done in the second was it the second yeah the second round and it just this is like a similar scenario and it was like oh you know he was against the had his back against the fence doing his thing moving and hitting with that counter and Then followed up with some more good shots you know finish the job and got his belt back so um we all love watching those moments of Triumph in the Octagon you know so uh so no different here it was definitely exciting to watch an entertaining to watch and uh good for him ask one of your thoughts on Paulo Acosta Sean Strickland two top seven middleweights they’re fighting unranked Russians in their next fight um do you think like like what are your thoughts on that like do you think it’s do you think it’s warranted do you think it’s because he’s doing it to bring more blood into the division like what’s up that’s what I think I think they’re trying to build up the middleweight division you know they have some good prospects the top five top ten have knocked down all the uh coming prospects so uh UFC needs some new prospects so that’s definitely what I feel like that’s what they’re trying to do I could be wrong you know I’m not in the office talking to these guys making these decisions so um but that’s what it looks like from the outside you know and finally for me anime lab uh bunch of very very bright prospects your boy Abdul Kamara um I just wanted to know like what’s the vibe in there and if there’s any Fighters that that you would like to Spotlight that that haven’t got it that haven’t got it yet um well one of our monikers is one percent every day and the lab has been open since 2007. so you count those number of days that’s the number of percents we’ve been getting good so um yeah the energy in there is incredible you know I’ve told them and I’ll say it here on the microphone that I feel like I’ve had the best Camp since moving down to Phoenix this Camp right here and um and I attribute that to my teammates you know what I mean my coaches uh my uh condition all the conditioning that my uh my teammates have got me in Jared Al all those guys you know they give me pair for these fights five round fights Main Events the energy that we bring in there every day we work the uh program in itself you know what I mean is going to create Champions so um we got a bunch of guys coming up you mentioned Abdul already I cornered him in his last fight I’ll probably be cornering him in his next fight you know um Eric mcconico I Corner him in his last fight so uh he’s cornering me in this fight and um just we’ve got a couple more big guys in there Alec who cornered Eric Anderson in his last fight you know um oh those are just the guys who are my size you know what I mean and when I first got there I was one of the biggest guys there all the little guys I was looking at you know I’m saying I was training with so um you guys just saw uh the maniac Marcus McGee make his debut and do his thing in there um you mentioned Abdul you know what I mean and hoe is doing his thing you got a few guys in other divisions uh Bryce Meredith Mike Hamill who fights this weekend um who else ah I wish I could just name them all man but uh the whole team the MMA lab is growing big time you know I mean uh Mario can’t forget him he’s one of the leaders in there who I look up to for who I looked up who I look up to and who I Look to and um Kyler is doing his thing you know I mean I get good rounds with him Talon is in there I get good rounds with him Caleb who gave me some good rounds just go around um buzz saw best doing his thing we’re all doing we’re all growing big time you know and I’ve grown too even though um coach says it’s a lot you know when you get to the uh when you get to the top of when you get to the top it’s growth is incremental at best you know but um this camp like I said I feel like I’ve grown a lot you know what I mean so uh in many in in many different aspects of mixed martial arts so I’m excited to show up and show out and let the world know that the lab is still getting better if you didn’t think it was good when Benson was making when Benson made his reign if if you you know if you you knew it was good when Benson made his Reign we’ve only kept getting better so y’all better watch out out there thank you Jared okay you got me oh perfect I want to talk about your preparation a little bit in this Camp uh as you know uh Victoria is a very well-rounded fighter and just like you you talked about watching the film and how you can grapple with the best thing you can strike with the best of them how have you prepared differently for him rather than an asanya or a Strickland I wouldn’t say I prepared differently I prepare for the best and I prepare to make myself better you know what I mean only time I start changing things up is when we get a name and we start implementing hey this is what we can work against this guy but nothing’s changed I’ve only made uh just been more what’s the word consistent in my training um I’ve grown that’s the only difference I’ve gotten better you know my grappling is much better my uh my striking is much better my conditioning my physique is going to definitely be better you guys will see that when we come time to take these clothes off and flex in front of the cameras so um I’m just better you know what I mean uh it’s nothing different just better you know we’re already doing the right things so and no point in changing that you know what I mean if you you if you’re on the right path that you change directions you’re you’re going to make yourself harder to get to the goal right so uh and there are no shortcuts in this game so we show up we work hard and come fight tonight we’re going to show out share it over here um you express your thoughts on Israel’s triumph over Alex parade at 287 but were you a bit disappointed peretta did not retain this title as he hasn’t faced guys like you and Victoria yet uh no I can’t say that I was disappointed you know um I was happy when he won the title happy for him you know what I mean congratulations to the man and uh this is a fight game one person’s gonna win one person is going to lose so I’m not that invested in who I fight you know what I mean um again the uh Rogan said it at the end of the weigh-ins when I fought uh Israel saying that he’s the final Challenge and I said no he’s not the final challenge I’m the final challenge I’m only I’m only working on myself that’s the only reason why I’m doing this so I can be a better me um not to fight any of these guys and be better than them they are there they don’t reside in here in here they don’t reside there when I look inside that’s the challenge that I’m trying to overcome right there every day they don’t go home with me they don’t you know what I mean they’re not the ones saying uh would you rather play the video game than go to the gym or anything like that you know what I’m saying these are things that I have inside of myself they’re not the ones saying are you you’re tired you should just quit you know what I mean those are the voices that you have inside of yourself so that’s the challenge you know what I mean not them it’s me so um um the idea of fighting him would have been exciting you know what I mean I’m here to fight whoever but uh I’m here to fight the best so he is one of the best and the potential is still there he’s still in he’s still in the UFC Our Father light heavyweight before um I get the title of middleweight he gets a title at light heavyweight maybe we’ll do the double champing that seems to be the popular thing that everybody’s doing and that would definitely help solidify my name in in history so uh so yeah and assuming Israel remains champ and things go well for you this weekend how would you approach a fight with Israel differently uh rather than the first time better you know I mean we when we fought Israel the first time we started working on things and uh I’ve just kept developing it so uh that was it’s been a year now in development things that I’ve ingrained in myself not just new things that oh we should try this nothing like that we got to do this better we have to do that to make this happen we have to do all these A B C through Z to make this happen and uh continue to work on those things so uh better thank you very much [Music]