Jared Cannonier, a powerhouse in the UFC middleweight division, is celebrated for his explosive knockout power and gritty fighting style. Behind his success in the octagon lies a journey of profound physical transformation. Cannonier, who once weighed a hefty 300 pounds, has undergone a remarkable 100-pound weight loss, transitioning from the heavyweight division to the middleweight division. This move not only changed his career but also his entire lifestyle.
Early Challenges in the Heavyweight Division
Before stepping into the UFC spotlight, Cannonier’s journey as an athlete began in the heavyweight division, where he faced fighters who weighed over 265 pounds. When he first entered the UFC, Cannonier was known for his raw power but also for his size. At his heaviest, he weighed around 300 pounds, which presented a major challenge both in terms of performance and health.
"I was struggling with my weight in the heavyweight division. I had to lose weight to be more competitive in my career," Cannonier shared in an interview. "But it was more than that-it was about my health."
In 2009, while working as an air traffic control mechanic for the Federal Aviation Administration in Anchorage, Alaska, Cannonier's weight peaked. His wife, Cat, recalled, "When we were in Alaska, we were cold and kind of eating for comfort, so that's when we really got heavy."
The Decision to Transform
Cannonier’s desire to compete at a higher level and live a healthier life prompted him to make the decision to drop down to the middleweight division. The move was a significant one. To compete in this division, he needed to weigh in at 185 pounds, meaning he had to lose over 100 pounds.
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"I knew I had to cut weight, but I also knew it wouldn’t be easy. It was going to take a complete shift in my approach to both my diet and training," Cannonier reflected. "But I was determined."
Diet Transformation
To achieve such a dramatic weight loss, Cannonier didn’t rely on shortcuts or fad diets. The first step in Cannonier’s weight loss journey was adjusting his diet. He knew that in order to shed the pounds and make weight for middleweight, he needed to focus on eating whole, nutrient-dense foods. This meant cutting out processed foods and focusing on lean proteins, vegetables, and whole grains.
"My diet completely changed," Cannonier said. "I started eating more vegetables, fruits, lean meats, and cutting out the junk that was weighing me down. I was also mindful of my portions and didn’t overeat."
He also started tracking his calories and being more intentional about what he put into his body. "I had to be smart about my calories, making sure I was eating enough to fuel my workouts while still staying in a calorie deficit," Cannonier explained.
While fighting at heavyweight, Cannonier said he ate a lot of steak, potatoes, rice, chicken wings and Mexican food. During his training camps for middleweight, Cannonier eats some combination of fruit, avocado and oatmeal for breakfast; soups, salads, pasta or a light sandwich for lunch; and salmon or tuna fillets with broccoli, squash or spinach for dinner.
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"I want to be completely vegan one day, but I've just gotta break the habits," Cannonier said.
Incorporating Rigorous Training
In addition to his dietary changes, Cannonier incorporated exercise as a central component of his weight loss strategy. "I had to build muscle while losing fat. It wasn’t just about cardio or running miles," Cannonier explained. "Strength training was a huge part of my routine. I wanted to make sure I was still explosive and powerful," he said.
Cannonier also emphasized the importance of functional movements, which helped him in the octagon and in his daily life. While cutting weight, Cannonier didn’t skip on the mobility and recovery aspects of training. "Mobility work and stretching were crucial for me," he shared.
In 2016, Cannonier was still living in Anchorage and working 10-hour days with the FAA when he made the decision to move down from heavyweight to light heavyweight, and run or go to the gym and ride an AirDyne bike for an hour. Then he'd go to work before finishing the night by heading to his Gracie Barra gym to train in MMA.
After a year of that grind, Jared and Cat had saved enough money to move the family to Arizona. Cannonier started doing parts of his training at The MMA Lab in Phoenix, and he knew that's where he needed to be full time in order to take that next step as a fighter.
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The Psychological Battle
Cannonier’s weight loss journey wasn’t just about the physical changes. The psychological aspect of his transformation was just as critical. "I learned how important it was to have a positive mindset," Cannonier shared. "I used to get frustrated with the process of cutting weight, but I realized that my mentality needed to change."
Mental toughness became key, especially as Cannonier had to endure intense training camps and the psychological strain of weight cutting. He used visualization techniques and positive affirmations to help him stay focused on his goals. "I would visualize myself at my goal weight, in the best shape of my life, stepping into the cage ready for the fight," he said.
The Importance of a Strong Support System
Throughout his journey, Cannonier was supported by his family, coaches, and training partners. "Having a strong support system was crucial," he explained. His team helped him stay on track with his diet and training, ensuring he didn’t fall off the path. "It’s all about having the right people around you who believe in you," he shared. Cat played a key role as his chef. "A lot of these fighters, they have so many people working for them," Cat said. "We didn't get to have that luxury. We had kids by the time Jared started in on the MMA journey. … Lucky for us, the adjustment came as an entire family. We were all kind of into it."
Reaching Middleweight and Achieving Success
By 2022, Jared Cannonier had successfully lost over 100 pounds, dropping from his original weight of 300 pounds to compete as a middleweight fighter at 185 pounds. "The hardest part of the journey was just believing in myself and staying committed," he shared. "But once I saw the results, I knew it was worth it."
His performance in the octagon reflected his new fitness level. Cannonier’s power, speed, and agility were noticeably enhanced as he faced off against top UFC fighters. He debuted at 185 pounds in late 2018, and the move has already paid huge dividends. Cannonier has won two straight fights by TKO finish, and in May he earned a first-round TKO via leg-kick stoppage against UFC legend Anderson Silva at UFC 237.
At 5-foot-11, Cannonier no longer has to worry about a significant reach disadvantage against bigger heavyweights and light heavyweights.
Cannonier (12-4) said he weighs between 210 and 215 pounds during training camp and could get up to 230 outside of it. When he gets to the Tuesday before a Saturday bout, Cannonier said he weighs in the low 200s or high 190s, and the rest comes off via a typical water cut.
Cannonier's Mindset and Fighting Style
Jared ‘Killa Gorilla’ Cannonier remains not only one of the scariest power punchers in the UFC but also one of the most popular athletes on the middleweight roster. Humble and softly spoken, you might not realize that you were standing across from one of the most dangerous and versatile fighters in the world. Versatile; not for his fighting style, which has remained the same since his promotional debut in 2015, but because he’s one of the few fighters to have found success in three separate weight classes. Whilst the vast majority of those cases see athletes go up, Cannonier defied expectation by dropping down from heavyweight to light heavyweight, and finally, down again to middleweight - with a fair share of insane KOs along the way.
Cannonier vs. Hermansson: A Pivotal Moment
Cannonier walked into the Royal Arena with freshly laid footsteps behind him. His opponent Hermansson, standing at 6’1, Swedish born, came into this fight with his head held high. A man with a tireless work ethic, the first in his gym and last one out, and notoriously known for his barraging, thundering ground punches once he takes you to the ground. His unorthodox stand up game and wrestling has the ability to confuse fighters, giving him an element of unpredictability against Cannonier. Counter to traditional chain wrestling, he feeds himself into his opponent’s body and hustles to take their base away. Once taken to the ground, he viciously locks onto his opponent, and strategically looks for a submission.
Number nine ranked in the middle-weight division, Cannonier, goes toe to toe with number-five-ranked Hermansson. Hermansson opens with a series of leg kicks to set up a fight-opening takedown attempt. This was a pivotal moment as this potential takedown could dictate the wrestling pace for the rest of the round. However, after a crucial effort, Cannonier decently escapes. Soon after, Hermansson persists another takedown attempt by precisely timing Cannonier’s kicks. Cannonier kicks and Hermansson grabs the leg and reaches for a two-leg takedown, but settles for a body grab and brilliantly suplexes Cannonier taking his back. Hermansson displays very good positional work by maintaining Cannonier’s back. Cannonier soon scrambles out of them and brings the fight back up to the feet, before Hermansson strategically wraps his arm around his opponent’s arm to take Cannonier down again, all in an effort to unleash his notorious ground and pound. Cannonier’s strength wills him up from the ground and allows him to close the distance, pushing Hermansson to the cage with a stiff right arm and landing an uppercut in the process. For the remainder of the round, Hermansson does a decent job of not winding his leg kicks too much and simply landing them flush on Cannonier’s thigh, while Cannonier looking for opportunities to release the power behind his hands.
Hermansson opens up the round once again with leg kicks looking for that takedown. However, Cannonier reads this and could almost predict the sweeping two arms reaching for his legs. He cleverly averts, takes a moment to place his hands on his opponent to set up a quick right uppercut. And it’s this ruthless effort to push forward with his commitment to the sport that allows him to see Hermansson and only him. Hermansson saw this as an opportunity to position himself in a spot where he can continuously climb up the middle-weight contender ladder and eventually get a shot at the title. But Cannonier saw this as a step in his ever-growing journey from FAA employee to small-time MMA novice, to heavyweight, to light heavyweight, and to middle-weight challenger with moxie.
Cannonier vs. Adesanya
At UFC 276 on July 2, 2022, Jared Cannonier will challenge Israel Adesanya for the UFC Middleweight Championship at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.