Jared Cannonier finds himself in a positive yet somewhat uncertain position following his recent victory at UFC Vegas 102.
His fourth-round TKO win over Gregory Rodrigues — a comeback after a tough first round — snapped a two-fight losing skid and provided a much-needed boost to his career.
Cannonier acknowledged the personal and professional challenges he faced leading up to the fight. While the victory brought him a sense of peace, the 40-year-old remains unsure about his next move.
He is aiming for higher-ranked opponents, but his long-standing contender status complicates his options in the middleweight division.
“If you were to look at the rankings, I would like a ranked opponent for sure,” Cannonier said. “I think for sure, I’m going to get a ranked opponent after that victory. I would like to fight a ranking higher than me. Unfortunately, all the people ranked higher than me are either in line for a title shot, on their way to a title shot, or just beat me. But I’m not going to rule anything out.
“If they say, ‘Hey, Jared, we need you to fight Dricus for the belt,’ I’m like, ‘Hell yes. I’m ready.’”
