Exclusive: Jared Cannonier shares no-holds barred take on Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan title fight at UFC 311: "Islam is the bigger guy"

Islam Makhachev has been pegged to emerge victorious at UFC 311 by ex-middleweight title challenger Jared Cannonier, who had an exclusive sitdown with Sportskeeda's James Lynch. According to 'The Killa Gorilla,' Makhachev's grappling will prove superior.

However, that doesn't mean Cannonier is discounting Arman Tsarukyan. He simply feels that the reigning lightweight champion's size will benefit him against Tsarukyan. Nevertheless, he foresees a competitive fight with Makhachev ultimately taking control in the championship rounds.

"I don't know, it's hard. It's a tough one. I think Islam is the bigger guy. He's a bigger grappler. I think that could way heavy in the later rounds for sure for a grappling-heavy style such as Arman. I think Islam is showing that he can also stand and bang and strike and be effective in that realm as well. So, I think it's going to be tough for Arman, but I'm sure he's up for the challenge. It's no question that he's up for the challenge, so it's going to be a good fight to watch."

Check out Jared Cannonier's preview of Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan (6:21):

Both Makhachev and Tsarukyan will head into the UFC 311 headliner with much on the line. For Makhachev, he puts his lengthy 14-fight win streak on the line, with 13 of those victories taking place in the lightweight division, making it the longest in its history.

Moreover, he is in a position to surpass the current lightweight title defense record of three, which is held by the great Khabib Nurmagomedov, the legendary B.J. Penn, Frankie Edgar and Benson Henderson. A win over Tsarukyan will make it four title defenses for him.

Meanwhile, for Tsarukyan, who is on a four-fight win streak, it is not only a chance to capture his first-ever UFC title, it is also a chance to avenge his prior loss to Makhachev.

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The first Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan was similar to Jared Cannonier's preview of their rematch

Jared Cannonier opined that the winner of the Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan rematch will be determined in the later rounds. Curiously, this is how their first fight transpired, with a competitive start defined by thrilling grappling sequences. However, as time passed, Makhachev took over.

Check out Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan 1:

Tsarukyan began to gas out, and this enabled the Dagestani star to slowly take control and author a more decisive end to the fight. Given that their rematch will be five rounds, which Makhachev is more experienced in, it could prove tough for Tsarukyan.