Jared Cannonier is a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter, under contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He made his MMA debut at heavyweight and won the AFC heavyweight title in 2014. But, Jared made his UFC debut at light heavyweight and eventually came down to middleweight. The Killa Gorilla finally got his maiden UFC title opportunity at UFC 276 in 2022.
Before pursuing a career in MMA, Jared Cannonier was serving in the military. Although he was discharged for failing a drug test due to weed consumption, Cannonier also met the love of his life while serving in the U.S. Military. During his three-year stint with the forces, Jared started dating Catherine Cannonier.
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According to multiple reports online, Catherine was also in the military at the same time as Jared. They came to know each other there and eventually, the couple fell in love. Jared is not the most expressive person in general and does not like talking about his personal life. However, he mentioned his wife and the role she played in his life during the tough times.
How did Jared Cannonier meet his wife in the U.S. Army?
As per Fabwags, Catherine’s maiden name was Catherine Ann Kelleher. Her parents are Patty Kelleher and Jerry Kelleher. Jared Cannonier reportedly met Catherine in Alabama and has been married for over 13 years now. Although his time in the army did not end on a good note, he ultimately found his life partner.
However, it was not the smoothest ride for them throughout the years. The life of an MMA fighter is not always filled with financial opportunities. The Killa Gorilla also had his fair share of financial struggles that he went through. But, he always had Catherine as his backup.
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During an interview with The MMA Hour host Ariel Helwani, Cannonier opened up about his financial struggles. However, he did not blame UFC for paying him insufficient compensation. But, a fighter has to pay management and coaching costs before getting the rest of the amount. Jared also revealed that he had other payments to make to support his family.
There was a 10-month stretch between October 2020 to August 2021, when Jared could not fight. It led to a very difficult time for the Cannonier family. But, Catherine was there to take care of the situation as she got a job to help out her husband. However, Cannonier was not proud to see her work as he did not want his wife to go through the struggles of having a job.
“My wife is getting ready to get up and go to work, which is against the structure that we have as a family. She has there’s so much here at the house, maintaining the home, taking care of the kids, making sure everything is where it needs to be so I can go and do my thing, not have to worry about everything else that’s going on.” (h/t via MMA Fighting)
Do Jared and Catherine have children?
Jared Cannonier and Catherine Cannonier reportedly have three children. However, any information regarding his personal life and his children is unavailable at the moment. But, he previously told in an interview with “Fighters Only” that his children and wife are a source of inspiration for him.
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“I take inspiration from everywhere. That’s what you have to do. Everything that surrounds you, everything around you, has to inspire you in some way, shape or form. I have to take care of my family. It’s my job to care of them. It’s my responsibility to teach my children to be good people and helping my wife be a good person.”
As for his professional career, Jared Cannonier is an elite competitor, who has significant wins over fighters like Jack Hermansson, Kelvin Gastelum, Derek Brunson, and former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.
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