Cannonier was almost an afterthought when he named a short-notice replacement in a middleweight matchup against Brooklyn’s Branch at UFC 230 at Madison Square Garden. But after a poor opening round, Cannonier turned things on in a hurry in the second, as he finished the durable Branch at the 29 second mark of the second round via TKO.
“It feels good, especially to do it here in one of the biggest stages, the biggest arenas in the world,” Cannonier said. “A lot of people come here looking for fame and fortune and I’m glad I could do the same.