Jared Cannonier survived an early scare, however got here storming again to complete Gregory Rodrigues in spectacular vogue within the UFC Vegas 102 important occasion.
The struggle didn’t begin nice for Cannonier after he received planted on the canvas twice within the opening spherical, however that great output seemingly zapped Rodrigues for the remainder of the struggle. In return, Cannonier simply stored coming after him till he scored a knockdown of his personal with a vicious elbow strike within the third spherical after which dished out much more of the identical within the fourth.
Lastly, with Rodrigues damage and backed up in opposition to the cage, Cannonier unleashed an enormous barrage of punches to the top and physique that lastly ended the struggle. The stoppage got here at 21 seconds into the fourth spherical with Cannonier celebrating his newest important occasion win.
“I suppose I used to be damage sufficient to get dropped on my ass a few instances,” Cannonier stated in regards to the disagreeable begin to the struggle earlier than he finally got here again. “He was slinging large ass photographs. I used to be capable of climate the storm and hold my composure in these robust spot.
“I’d quite die on my ft than die on my again. Sure, expertise performs a reality, however I wish to lean on my group. My enhancements undoubtedly confirmed on this struggle.”
There was no feeling out course of for Rodrigues, who got here out firing like a cannon with arduous, heavy punches and leg kicks that had been simply blasting away at Cannonier. Simply earlier than the 2 minute mark within the opening spherical, Rodrigues related with an enormous proper hook that put Cannonier down on the canvas, though he was capable of get well rapidly and get again to his ft.
Rodrigues constantly used his measurement benefit as he simply stored discovering a house for his large, crazy punches earlier than a slick left tagged Cannonier and put him down briefly once more. Whereas he was absorbing a variety of punishment, Cannonier stored discovering a technique to survive with hopes that Rodrigues would finally decelerate.
The technique began paying off as early because the second spherical with Cannonier out of the blue shifting ahead because the aggressor and Rodrigues’ output was severely diminished. Cannonier was actually starting to tee off however Rodrigues nonetheless represented sufficient of a menace that the one-time middleweight title contender couldn’t throw warning to the wind.
The momentum shifted once more when Rodrigues lastly received a second burst of power and he began coming after Cannonier once more. That backfired after Cannonier cracked him with a vicious elbow strike from contained in the clinch that dropped the Brazilian to the canvas.
Cannonier adopted up with some highly effective floor and pound and because the third spherical got here to an in depth, Rodrigues was wobbled badly as he went again to his nook.
When the struggle restarted, Cannonier acknowledged that the one-minute break wasn’t almost sufficient for Rodrigues to get well as a result of he got here out instantly on the lookout for the end. Cannonier overwhelmed his opponent with a barrage of punches that backed Rodrigues up in opposition to the cage with nowhere to go.
From there, Cannonier was simply on the lookout for the kill shot, which got here after he delivered a punishing blow to the physique after which went proper again up prime to the top as Rodrigues crumbled to the canvas. That was sufficient for the referee to swoop in and save Rodrigues from additional hurt as Cannonier earned the fourth-round stoppage, which received him again on monitor after a pair of consecutive losses to fellow middleweight contenders Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho.
At 40, Cannonier is actually within the latter stage of his profession, however he’s nonetheless received an entire lot of struggle left in him, and he’ll be a harmful out for any 185-pounder keen to commerce bombs with him within the octagon as Rodrigues discovered Saturday night time.
