NEW YORK – Jared Cannonier was happy to jump on the opportunity to fight at UFC 230 because it was a positive for him on multiple fronts.

Not only does Cannonier (10-4 MMA, 3-4 UFC) get to fight a ranked middleweight opponent in David Branch (22-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC), but he also gets to do it on a significant platform in New York, which is quite the alternative from what he was previously scheduled to do.

Cannonier was booked to fight Alessio Di Chirico at UFC Fight Night 140 later this month. The event takes place in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which is quite the trek from Arizona, where Cannonier currently resides. So when an opening at UFC 230 opened up, Cannonier jumped on it.

“A five-hour flight is way more tolerable than a 14-hour flight,” Cannonier told MMAjunkie at UFC 230 media day. “On top of that, it would’ve been a bigger time difference, as well as being outside my country. I get to walk around, speak English, spend U.S. dollars and maybe after the fight eat some New York pizza, which is what I’m really excited for.”

UFC 230 takes place at Madison Square Garden in New York. Cannonier vs. Branch airs on the pay-per-view main card following prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass.

Cannonier will make his official middleweight debut at the event. “The Killa Gorilla” started his career at heavyweight and not long after made his way to the light heavyweight division. Cannonier has been teasing a move to 185 pounds for a while, and after teasing the move for several fights, he finally pulled the trigger.

“I’m more ripped than I’ve been, ever,” Cannonier said. “I haven’t been 185 since like my college days, and that was like over 10 years ago. I feel vibrant, full of energy. I feel way better than I’ve ever been.”

Training out of The MMA Lab, Cannonier expects to be sharper than ever at UFC 230. He knows he can make a big splash in his new division by taking out the former two-division WSOF champion, and he intends on doing just that.

“I like David,” Cannonier said. “I’ve watched him for a long time. I don’t think he’s a boring fighter. He brings it. He’s in there. He’s always willing to throw down. I’m actually honored to step into the cage with him. He’s a top-ranked middleweight. He’s been in the game for such a long time.”

To hear more from Cannonier, check out the video above.

For more on UFC 230, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.