Welcome to The Weekly Takedown, Sports Illustrated’s newest look at MMA. Every week, this column will offer insight and information on the most noteworthy stories in the fight world.
Jared Cannonier and Kelvin Gastelum are both in need of a win
Cannonier and Gastelum share a lot in common entering their UFC on ESPN 30 fight Saturday.
Both men are coming off a loss against Robert Whittaker, who is currently second behind top-ranked middleweight and reigning champ Israel Adesanya. Their defeats were each painful, though for different reasons—it was Cannonier’s first loss since his move to middleweight.