News Jared Cannonier vs. Nassourdine Imavov headlines UFC Fight Night: Louisville on June 8

[svmr_db]

So they went with this match up instead of Costa vs Imavov and Strickland vs Cannon II? yea, the UFC matchmaking is a pathetic joke. Jared is on a win streak, he shouldnt have to fight down in the rankings right now.

The first Strickland vs Cannonier fight wasn't much fun, purely rankings wise it makes sense to have them rematch but it's not a fight people would look forward to. Cannonier/Imavov & Strickland/Costa don't make as much sense rankings wise but both should be entertaining enough I think.

 

[Kenny Powerth]

This must be a "take this fight and we will count this as a #1 contender fight" under the table type shit for Cannonier.

Will the ufc honor that? Who knows

 

[Siver!]

Cannonier doesn't look or fight like he's 39/40. He probably has 2-3 more years of fighting in him. Imavov is decent but i would definitely say a major step down from cannonier

I'm glad Jared didn't wait any longer to fight, too. Yes he's kind of getting a raw deal, but this is not the point to wait around forever. Win here and the shot has to be his.

 

[Urluberluu]

Imavov is underrated, he can school Cannonier on the feet and get a clean decision

 

[svmr_db]

This must be a "take this fight and we will count this as a #1 contender fight" under the table type shit for Cannonier.

Will the ufc honor that? Who knows

Depends on the outcome of some other fights. I think Strickland & Chimaev would be ahead of him in the title shot queue if they win their fights. Cannonier won't be able to sit on the sidelines for 6+ months waiting for a title shot even if he wins this.

Cannonier is just a guy you want to get beat if you're the UFC. Sucks but it is what it is, he is going to have to put a longer win streak together to get back to the title after that stinker he had vs Adesanya.

 

[Substance Abuse]

Any preferred opponent you wish they would have Cannonier face? He needs at least 1 if not 2 wins before getting another title shot & the UFC understandably would like to avoid giving him one lol. I would've preferred they did Cannonier/Chimaev instead of Whittaker/Chimaev.

Yes, DDP. Jared should be next if Strickland wasn't getting the immediate rematch. They should have done DDP/Cannonier, Strickland/Adesanya II, Whittaker/Khamzat (as it's already booked), and Costa/Allen or Imavov.

It sets up four people as possible title contenders.

 

[Question]

Cannonier is getting screwed so the UFC can try to milk the Adesanya/DDP hate. That sucks for Jared. At least he's getting a fight so he can get paid and not just wait around, however. He isn't getting any younger.

And then Costa gets the number one guy while sitting at seven in the rankings and hasn't gotten a ranked win since 2019.... It's actually nuts.
Yeah outside of Whittaker/Khamzat I'm not too big on some of the recent matchmaking choices for middleweight.

 

[Question]

Depends on the outcome of some other fights. I think Strickland & Chimaev would be ahead of him in the title shot queue if they win their fights. Cannonier won't be able to sit on the sidelines for 6+ months waiting for a title shot even if he wins this.

Cannonier is just a guy you want to get beat if you're the UFC. Sucks but it is what it is, he is going to have to put a longer win streak together to get back to the title after that stinker he had vs Adesanya.

Yup, he's basically on their no go list after that Izzy fight. Plus he doesn't really have a large fanbase and he's one of the older guys in the division.
Hell I think he's the oldest dude in the top fifteen at the moment.

 

[usernamee]

He isn't getting any younger.

That's where the crystals come into play.

 

[Dorkman]

Sucks for Cannonier is in a bit of limbo right now depsite his recent record of beating the previous champ, and then putting a whoopin on one of the tougher contenders around. He should probably be in title contention, but instead is having to give a new comer to the top 5 a shot. Despite that Jared has been aging really well. He's physically still a brick house, and seems to have been able to avoid or greatly slow the loss of reflexes and speed that tend to come with your late 30's.

 

[FrappeDuRocma]

It was awesome how Imavov destroyed Dolidze. I thought he wasn't good enough to be a top five fighter, but he proved me wrong.

Great fight !

 

[Liverkick-king56]

Imavov’s footwork should provide issues like Whittakers did but regardless of how agile his footwork is he still potshots and going potshot for potshot against Cannonier is not going to work for any MW. Alongside dealing with Cannonier’s chopping leg kicks I have to lean with Cannonier going off of their last fights.

BUT

Imavov showed against Dolidze he is extremely close to elite imo and if he can string together combinations more fluidly I think he can win a decision sticking and moving but if he throws one at a time like he did against Dolidze and Curtis I struggle seeing him give Cannonier enough issues to not take over down the stretch.


I’m leaning with Cannonier based on both men’s last performances but I do think if Imavov makes the right adjustments to his game he can win this…. I’m just not confident he doesn’t stick to potshots.

 

[markys00]

Damn this card is looking better than I expected. June will be crazy for the UFC.

Confirmed dying

 

[JoeRowe]

If Cannonier wins this he can fight the loser of Rob/Khamzat. if he wins that he can fight the loser of DDP/Izzy. If he wins that he'll get a #1 contender fight.

 

[Rorschachxx]

Jared seemingly wants to stay active. Good for him, although he really earned himself a number-one contender fight. Clearly the UFC is passing him by.

 

[Goldentrophy]

Any preferred opponent you wish they would have Cannonier face? He needs at least 1 if not 2 wins before getting another title shot & the UFC understandably would like to avoid giving him one lol. I would've preferred they did Cannonier/Chimaev instead of Whittaker/Chimaev.

Whitaker vs Strictland,Jared vs Khamzat, Izzy vs DDP while Costa can fight Nassourdine would have been my preferred matchups.

 

[Rektkid]

I fancy Imavov to win quite comfortably

 

[Ace70 V2]

Just book Jared vs DDP and let the punches fly.

 

[ipowerslapmywife]

Not historically a fan of Cannonier, but man he's been doing very well for his age. He should take this one as well, and possibly fight for the title soon after.

After his fight with Izzy he should never get another title shot. He’s very mid tier not elite

 

[Psychojoe86]

After his fight with Izzy he should never get another title shot. He’s very mid tier not elite

The reason I wasn't a fan of him historically is because he was a failed heavyweight who cut all the weigh down to middleweight, got a win over anderson silva with a leg break, and showed little to no heart or drive against whittaker or adesanya.

However, he's getting older now, yet is still improving, fought well against strickland, which has aged very well. hard to criticize a guy who at 39 is still beating anyone that's not the top 2 in the division