Jared Cannonier

Jared 'The Killa Gorilla' Cannonier has one of the more unusual career arcs in MMA, starting at heavyweight, dropping to light heavyweight, and finally finding his best form at middleweight, where his explosive power and athleticism carried him into title contention. Compact and concussive, he punishes opponents with heavy leg kicks and one-shot power in both hands.

He earned a 2022 title shot against Israel Adesanya off wins over Sean Strickland, Derek Brunson and others, and though he came up short, he's remained a top-ranked, dangerous presence at 185. Fans respect Cannonier as a durable, hard-hitting veteran and a true measuring stick for the division's contenders.