Having shared the cage with the likes of Robert Whittaker, Israel Adesanya, and Anderson Silva, Jared Cannonier (17-7 MMA, 10-7 UFC) has contended with some of the greatest competitors the UFC middleweight division has ever produced. On Saturday, he will battle another 185-lb. standout in Brazil’s own Caio Borralho (16-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) at UFC Vegas 96.
Since earning a UFC contract on Season 5 of Dana White’s Contender Series back in 2021, Borralho has remained perfect inside the world-famous Octagon, winning six fights in a row, including a huge knockout victory over Paul Craig in his last bout. He’s also riding a sensational 15 fight unbeaten streak, having not lost a fight since 2015.
From heavyweight, to light heavyweight, to finally settling in the middleweight class in 2018, Cannonier has locked horns with a bevy of top-level UFC talent over the years. But at 40 years of age, time is no longer on the “Killa Gorilla’s” side, and after losing his previous bout to Nassourdine Imavov this past June, a win against the rising Borralho is a must for him to remain relevant in the division’s utmost elite.
Cannonier: The Early Years
For the first three years of his professional career, Cannonier competed solely in Alaska, where he worked for the Federal Aviation Administration after serving in the U.S. Army. Across those three years, he would win his first seven fights in a row, along with the Alaska FC Heavyweight Championship.
Almost a year after winning said title, he was fighting in the UFC, making his debut against Shawn Jordan at UFC 182 in 2015. His first fight in the promotion didn’t play out well, however, as the Texas native was knocked out halfway through the first round, taking his first ever loss.
After picking up a win over Cyril Asker in his next fight, Cannonier made the decision to move down in weight to the 205-lb. division. The result was a Fight of the Night-winning performance against Ion Cutelaba, whom the “Killa Gorilla” claimed a unanimous decision over.
“Killa Gorilla” Drops to 205, Then 185
Despite this amazing first incursion into his new weight class, the rest of Cannonier’s time at light heavyweight wouldn’t be nearly as successful, with him going an abysmal 1-4 in his next four fights. This included losses to opposition such as Dominick Reyes, Glover Teixeira, and Jan Blachowicz.
Near the end of 2018, Cannonier once again changed divisions, this time making his home at middleweight. This switch wound up being the catalyst for his best run in the promotion up until that point, with him rattling off three straight wins over David Branch, Anderson Silva, and Jack Hermansson.
This trio of impressive victories brought Cannonier almost to the forefront of title contention, leading him to face off against Robert Whittaker at UFC 254 for a possible shot at the 185-lb. strap. Unfortunately, however, it was the former champion who emerged victorious to end Cannonier’s win streak by unanimous decision.
Cannonier Gets Shot at Gold and The Road Back
Although he may have lost his first championship opportunity, it wasn’t long before Cannonier made his way right back into title talks by picking up two consecutive wins over divisional mainstays in Kelvin Gastelum and Derek Brunson. This ultimately led him to headlining his first UFC pay-per-view opposite then-UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 276, losing a lopsided unanimous decision to “The Last Stylebender.”
In the following two years, Cannonier had attempted to reclimb the 185-lb. pecking order, yielding mixed results. He had managed to collect two impressive wins over Sean Strickland and Marvin Vettori, but also suffered a crucial TKO defeat to Nassourdine Imavov in his last appearance earlier this summer.
Final Thoughts
Going into his fight versus Borralho this weekend, the stakes now couldn’t be any higher for the aging Cannonier. Having turned 40 this year, he now finds himself surrounded on all sides by a myriad of young, skilled, up-and- coming contenders. Should he falter against “The Natural,” the setback could very well spell the definitive end of his title aspirations.
