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Many middleweights are eager for a chance to face "The Last Stylebender" when he competes in Sydney, Australia at UFC 293, since Dricus Du Plessis has no interest in facing Israel Adesanya just eight weeks after defeating Robert Whittaker at UFC 290.
Israel Adesanya predicted Sean Strickland will be the one receiving the call. Strickland has stated that he wants the fight, but he also wants payment. Will the UFC offer incentives for what might be considered a free chance at the title? If not, Jared Cannonier might be the one they contact next.
Cannonier claimed that he would be a better option in a recent interview with Helen Yee because he would truly arrive in Sydney prepared to compete and defeat Adesanya.
“Well, Sean doesn’t even believe he can win that fight, you know,” Cannonier said. “He just wants to go in there and fight and get some money. I believe I can win that fight so I think that’s a big difference between me and a lot of these other guys.”
“Izzy’s not an easy fight and the way those styles match up,” he continued. “I don’t think Sean will be able to work his jab, his funky a— footwork, his ability to evade shots, I think [Adesanya] is way too long, he’s a sniper. And he is too diverse, he is too versatile with his striking, and I don’t think Sean’s grappling is good enough to make it a factor, to make it competitive.”
Unfortunately, Jared Cannonier had previously faced Israel Adesanya at UFC 276 a year prior. The battle was largely derided as a flop because "The Killa Gorilla" lacked any aggression. We doubt Izzy is wanting to rematch Cannonier so soon after that previous failure, in addition to the fact that there is very little fan interest in one.