In preparation for the upcoming UFC 293 event, the promotion has a contingency plan in place in case anything goes awry with the scheduled headliner. The middleweight championship clash between Israel Adesanya and Sean Strickland is set to take place on Saturday, with Jared Cannonier on standby as the backup fighter.
According to MMAjunkie.com, Cannonier is already in Sydney and will weigh in as the backup fighter for the title fight. Cannonier previously challenged for middleweight gold at UFC 276 in July 2022, where he dropped a five-round verdict against Adesanya at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Jared Cannonier’s Recent Victories
Since his loss to Adesanya, Cannonier has rebounded with two significant victories. He earned a split-decision win over Strickland at UFC Fight Night 216 and a unanimous verdict against Marvin Vettori at UFC on ESPN 47 on June 17. With these wins under his belt, “The Killa Gorilla” has now won seven of his last nine Octagon appearances dating back to November 2018.
UFC 293 Event Details
UFC 293 will take place at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, featuring a heavyweight co-main event between Alexander Volkov and Tai Tuivasa. The main card will air on pay-per-view via ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. With a backup plan in place and an exciting lineup scheduled, the event promises to be an unforgettable night for fight fans.