Jared Cannonier knows a win over Derek Brunson at UFC 271 on Saturday night could lead to a title shot.
Cannonier made his debut in the middleweight division three years ago and became a ranked contender in less than five fights. The ‘Killa Gorilla’ earned wins over David Branch, Anderson Silva and Jack Hermansson, all of which were technical knockouts inside of two rounds. He soon found himself in a prime position to make a case for a championship opportunity, but that was derailed once he fell to a former champion in Robert Whittaker. The latter bested Cannonier via unanimous decision at UFC 254.