Jarod Cannonier is peaking as a martial artist. The former heavyweight has slimmed down to middleweight and is now a UFC Middleweight contender set to have his title shot against Israel Adesanya at UFC 276.
To the fresh batch of so called ‘UFC casuals’ Cannonier is more famous as the guy who deadpanned as Aljamain Sterling, Molly McCann and Paddy Pimblett had a dance party next to his head.
After the fact Cannonier played it super serious and declared he was ‘not in circus’
“I’m there to watch the fights,” Cannonier said Monday on The MMA Hour. “I’m there to watch the circus, not be a part of the circus. No offense to anybody involved, I respect each and every one of my cohorts. I’m just doing me. They’re doing them – that’s me. “
“I’m staying in my zone, I’m staying in my energy, I’m protecting my energy. I really don’t like being surrounded by a lot of people who I don’t know, who I’m not familiar with, who I don’t trust. I guess it’s a stigma I picked up from the army – I don’t like being around a lot of people.”
But this is perhaps very normal – out of Cannonier. At a previous press conference he had claimed himself to be a deity.
“I am a God in the flesh.”
Not to mention Cannonier is one of UFC’s outspoken athletes who previously claimed to be broke.