Jared Cannonier Survived Rodrigues’s Fast Start to Force a Stoppage
Jared Cannonier stopped Gregory Rodrigues twenty-one seconds into the fourth round at UFC APEX on February 15, 2025. The middleweight main event in Las Vegas turned sharply after Cannonier survived two early knockdowns and gradually established his own offense.
Rodrigues controlled the opening danger
Rodrigues attacked aggressively from the start and dropped Cannonier twice during the first round. The former title challenger had to recover before he could begin changing the contest’s direction.
Cannonier found his range in the second round and landed powerful shots of his own. His response prevented Rodrigues from turning the opening success into a quick finish.
A late elbow shifted the momentum
The fighters remained competitive through much of round three. Near its end, Cannonier connected with a short elbow at close range that knocked Rodrigues down.
He carried that momentum into the fourth, increasing the pressure immediately. A sustained attack brought the referee’s intervention at 0:21, completing the comeback through a technical knockout from strikes.
Zalal won the featured featherweight contest
In the co-main event, Youssef Zalal defeated Calvin Kattar by unanimous decision. All three judges scored the featherweight matchup 29–28.
Edmen Shahbazyan also secured a first-round stoppage of Dylan Budka, while Nazim Sadykhov defeated Ismael Bonfim through a doctor’s stoppage after the opening round. Cannonier’s later rally supplied the main event’s conclusion, rewarding his recovery after the difficult start against Rodrigues.
Sources
Article Tags
Jared Cannonier, Gregory Rodrigues, UFC, MMA
