Cannonier: ‘I’m not gonna say sorry’ for taunting Brazilian crowd at UFC 237

Jared Cannonier talks about his post-fight theatrics at UFC 237.

Jared Cannonier learned to embrace the hatred at UFC 237.

The top-ten middleweight didn’t earn any fans with his leg kick TKO win over home favorite Anderson Silva in the co-main event and, to make matters worse, ‘The Killa Gorilla’ started taunting the Brazilian crowd in his post-fight celebration.

Cannonier’s post-fight antics elicited a chorus of boos from Rio’s Jeunesse Arena, but the 35-year-old wasn’t fazed in the slightest.

“I guess I sort of provoked it by winning. Also, by doing a little ear thing, but they was booing as I was walking out,” Cannonier explained at the UFC 237 post-fight press conference, per MMA Fighting’s Alexander K. Lee. “I was like, where’s all that — I didn’t let it get to me. I just responded, sort of like poking the bear. But no animosity towards anybody. I think the crowd booed me a lot more because I sort of provoked it a little bit with the ear thing and also the level of immaturity sort of let it go and rise and rise, but I expected as much.

“It wasn’t my intent to aggravate even more, to antagonize or anything like that, and going through my posts on my phone, some of the Brazilians are coming in and commenting, saying that it’s nothing against me, that they’re just passionate. I understand it, especially about their heroes.”

While Cannonier doesn’t necessarily want to make an enemy of the Brazilian fans, the Texan-born fighter isn’t willing to apologize for his actions.

“So I’m not gonna say I’m sorry for what I did, but I can say that I understand from that perspective that they’re very passionate about their guys and that was a pretty devastating loss for Anderson and I guess they felt it too.”

While Cannonier has caught some flak for potentially injuring Silva and finishing the fight in rather unusual circumstances, the former heavyweight couldn’t be more thrilled with his performance.

“There is no better feeling than winning,” Cannonier said. “It doesn’t matter who you’re winning against, as long as they are capable and the UFC only picks capable people. There is no better feeling than winning, again it doesn’t matter who.

“The fact that it is a prestigious name, a prestigious person in Anderson, I don’t really focus on how much better it’s gonna feel. I won, I’m going to my family with two checks. That’s the main thing.”

Expect Cannonier to move up a spot in the middleweight rankings once the UFC updates its official website.