Former UFC middleweight title challenger Jared Cannonier will return in his potential retirement fight in Oklahoma City.
Amidst another change at the top of the UFC middleweight division, former title challenger Jared Cannonier remains in the mix for another potential title shot if he can go on another impressive win streak. In his first fight since a loss to Michael ‘Venom’ Page at UFC 319 last year, Cannonier will look to turn away one of the division’s rising stars.
The 42-year-old Cannonier is looking to reclaim the form that saw him knock out Gregory Rodrigues for his most recent win in February 2025. The UFC veteran has earned wins over the likes of Sean Strickland, Kelvin Gastelum, and Jack Hermansson during his tenure at middleweight.
Cannonier will be a big part of the UFC’s return to Oklahoma City this summer for an upcoming Fight Night event, rumored to be headlined by Dricus du Plessis vs. Kamaru Usman.
Jared Cannonier’s return adds to growing UFC Oklahoma City card
As first reported by X user @MagicM_MMABets and later confirmed by journalist Marcel Dorff, Cannonier will fight Christian Leroy Duncan at UFC Oklahoma City on July 18th. As of this writing, the UFC hasn’t released the full fight card for the upcoming event.
Duncan returns to the Octagon looking to capture his fifth consecutive win. The talented UK standout has earned wins over Roman Dolidze, Marco Tulio, Eryk Anders, and Andrey Pulyaev during his current streak.
The 30-year-old Duncan could give Cannonier problems on the feet. Duncan’s striking range and technique have been compared to those of former UFC titleholder Israel Adesanya during his successes in the cage.
In other UFC OKC news, Kevin Holland will return to the welterweight division for a showdown against the unbeaten Jacobe Smith. The full UFC OKC card is expected to be announced and finalized in the coming weeks.
What is your prediction for Jared Cannonier vs. Christian Leroy Duncan? Let us know in the comments!