Former UFC title challenger Jared Cannonier turned in one of the greatest performances in middleweight history on Saturday, setting a new divisional record for strikes landed in a single fight against Marvin Vettori in Las Vegas.
Cannonier (17-6) landed a significant 241 strikes in the five-round event, which broke the previous record of 186 set by Sean Strickland against Uriah Hall in July 2021. Even with all that offense, Cannonier couldn’t become first man. to push Vettori away in the UFC, but earned commanding scores from the judges of 49-45, 49-45 and 48-46.
The 39-year-old middleweight said he has taken a more aggressive approach since last year, when he came under fire for a lack of performance in a failed title bid against Israel Adesanya at UFC 276.
“After the Adesanya fight, my goal was to increase my performance,” Cannonier said, following the main event of UFC Fight Night inside the Apex. “Most punches in middleweight history? I’ll take that notch on my belt.”
The feat was made even more impressive by the fact that Vettori (19-6-1) badly rocked Cannonier multiple times with left hands in the first round. Cannonier was visibly shaken by the gunfire, but recovered very quickly and maintained relative control for the remainder of the fight. He gave Vettori a bloody nose in the second round and opened a cut under his left eye in the third. He finished the 25-minute fight in first position, dropping dangerous hammer fists off Vettori’s guard.
Cannonier, who was ranked No. 4 in the UFC middleweight rankings as of Saturday, improves to 2-0 since the loss to Adesanya.
“I want the title shot (next),” Cannonier said. “That’s what I’m here for, to go towards that title. I know they already have a contender’s fight on the books.” [between Robert Whittaker and Dricus Du Plessis on July 8]but I’m willing to step in if something happens in that fight or accept a fight that gives me a title shot.”
The total of 241 significant strikes is good for fourth all-time in UFC history, regardless of division. Former featherweight champion Max Holloway holds the all-time record of 445 total punches in a single fight.
Vettori falls to 2-3 in his last five appearances. He has alternated wins and losses since his own failed title bid against Adesanya in 2021. The 29-year-old Italian was gracious in the loss and congratulated Cannonier on his victory.
