UFC Vegas 75: Jared Cannonier puts on striking onslaught of Marvin Vettori [VIDEO]
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If Jared Cannonier was looking to make his case for a UFC middleweight championship rematch with Israel Adesanya, he certainly made quite the argument with the way he pummeled Marvin Vettori in the UFC Vegas 75 main event.
Cannonier managed to accomplish this while also setting a new record for significant strikes in middleweight UFC fight history.
The two came out somewhat aggressive, with Cannonier landing a hard calf kick early. But Vettori responded by cracking Cannonier with a left hand. Cannonier survived the first storm, but Vettori landed another left and a one-two not long after. Cannonier landed a strong right that got Vettori's attention, but Vettori landed another left.
Vettori continued to showcase his boxing in the opening round, working combinations while mixing in leg kicks. With just over 90 seconds left in the first, Vettori rocked Cannonier with another left hand.
UFC Vegas 75: Jared Cannonier displays striking clinic, smashing Marvin Vettori and a UFC middleweight striking record
After some leg kick trading to start the second, Vettori got back to working the jab before shaking it a cliinch against the cage from Cannonier. About 90 seconds in, Cannonier narrowly missed a major hook as he continued to come in with pressure. Cannonier fired a small flurry with Vettori against the cage, but Vettori escaped. Cannonier swept Vettori's leg out from under him and unleashed some big ground-and-pound. Vettori got to his feet, but Cannonier walloped a fatigued Vettori against the cage — and then all around it.
Jared Cannonier defeats Marvin Vettori by decision!
— Combat Sports Today 📰 (@CSTodayNews) June 18, 2023
Who’s next? #UFCVegas75 pic.twitter.com/Q4B3lzHet4
Vettori, however, not only managed to survive, but he fired off his own combinations in the closing seconds.
Despite the beating he took in the second round, Vettori came back strong with more combinations in the third. The two traded, with Vettori catching Cannonier coming inside with a leg kick and left hand upstairs. But halfway through the round, Cannonier landed a small flurry against the cage and scored a takedown. Vettori got back to his feet and got the fight in a clinch battle, but Cannonier continued to deliver after the separation. With just over a minute left, however, Vettori got his own takedown, though Cannonier got back to his feet quickly.
Cannonier made Vettori eat more right crosses in the fourth round as the two continued to trade in the center of the Octagon. Cannonier landed another takedown a couple of minutes into the bout, but Vettori managed to pop up quickly. Vettori looked to continue and work his boxing, though Cannonier still showcased his power, and his constant stance-switching and footwork helped elevate his performance.
The granite chin of 🇮🇹🗿 @MarvinVettori on FULL display! #UFCVegas75 pic.twitter.com/HvFzGrPzBo
— UFC (@ufc) June 18, 2023
This kind of activity continued into the fifth round, as Cannonier wasn't slowing down, continuing to pressure Vettori and landing some power shots — both as single shots and combinations. With about 90 seconds remaining, Cannonier tagged Vettori hard and landed another takedown, not letting up until the final horn.
The judges scored the bout for Cannonier with two 49-45s and a 48-46.
UFC Vegas 75: Marvin Vettori vs. Jared Cannonier takes place on Saturday, June 17, 2023, live from UFC APEX in Las Vegas, NV. Follow along with FanSided MMA for all your news and highlights.