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Tag: Donald Cerrone

  • Stephen Thompson Explains Why He Wants To Be Donald Cerrone’s UFC Return Opponent

    Stephen Thompson Explains Why He Wants To Be Donald Cerrone’s UFC Return Opponent

    Stephen Thompson is interested in a potential matchup with fellow UFC veteran Donald Cerrone, who recently announced his plans to return for two more fights after re-entering the drug-testing pool.

    Thompson, a longtime UFC welterweight contender, sees Cerrone as a logical opponent. “Wonderboy” has consistently faced elite competition throughout his career but is currently on a tough stretch. He has lost four of his last five fights, including consecutive stoppage defeats to Shavkat Rakhmonov and Joaquin Buckley.

    “I’m thinking April, May time, I think would be cool just because I’m a huge fan of Cerrone, and he comes from that old-school era that I kind of came from almost 13, 14 years ago,” Thompson said on the OverDogs Podcast. “So, it’s cool that he wants to jump back out there.

    “I thought it would be awesome if he doesn’t want to cut the weight to 155 maybe to make that fight at 170. I thought it would be really cool to have two veterans like that step back out there and face off against each other, but nothing booked yet. But that’s what I’m kind of shooting for, that April, May time.”

    Despite his recent setbacks, the former two-time UFC welterweight title challenger remains confident in his ability to compete at a high level against any opponent. A fight with Cerrone — who last competed in July 2022 before retiring — would be a high-profile veteran showdown that could generate significant fan interest.

    With Thompson targeting a return in April or May, whether the UFC will book this potential clash of fan-favorite strikers remains to be seen.

  • Donald Cerrone Commits To UFC Comeback In 2025 With Return To The Drug-Testing Pool

    Donald Cerrone Commits To UFC Comeback In 2025 With Return To The Drug-Testing Pool

    Donald Cerrone seemingly meant serious business when he said he’s making his return to active competition to set new records.

    In October, Cerrone revealed his eagerness to step back into the UFC Octagon, aiming to achieve the impressive feat of 50 career bouts under the Zuffa banner — an accomplishment that already includes 48 combined fights in the UFC and WEC.

    However, one significant hurdle to Cerrone’s comeback was his candid admission of working with a company for Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) and using other steroids in recent years. But that obstacle is now behind him, as the 41-year-old from Colorado has officially rejoined the UFC’s anti-doping agency testing pool, Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD).

    “Cowboy” confirmed the update during his recent appearance on The Pacman Jones Show, revealing that once he’s cleared by the testing agency, he plans to pursue his goal of fighting just two more times — likely in the middleweight division.

    “I just re-entered the testing pool so I have to be six months clean,” Cerrone said. “Probably June or July we’ll make the comeback. I’m coming back for two more. Just two more. I want 50 fights [under the] UFC. I promised the wife no matter what happens, no matter the outcomes – two more and that’s it… I think it’ll be [at middleweight] is what I’m coming back at. We’ll see my weight as I start to pick up my training.”

    https://youtu.be/8R0RG5e7JQA?si=YRlodqjOt8a5v3iP

    Cerrone retired from active competition after a challenging run of six consecutive losses in the Octagon, with the ultimate setback being a second-round submission defeat to fellow veteran Jim Miller at UFC 276 in July 2022.

    Over the course of his storied career, “Cowboy” racked up an extraordinary 18 post-fight bonuses, ranking second in UFC history only behind Charles Oliveira. Moreover, he shares the spot for the second-most wins in UFC history with 23, tied with Andrei Arlovski, and holds the second-highest number of finishes, with 16.

  • Donald Cerrone Reiterates UFC Return Plan During Kill Tony Appearance

    Donald Cerrone Reiterates UFC Return Plan During Kill Tony Appearance

    During a recent episode of the Kill Tony podcast, live at the Comedy Mothership in Austin, Texas, former UFC icon Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone made a special guest appearance. The 41-year old has recently declared that he plans to return to the Octagon after retiring in July of 2022.

    Cerrone was without a win in his last seven fights but the Hall of Famer, who was inducted in 2023, still has a couple bouts left on his contract and considering that he’s fought 38 times in the UFC, rounding that up to 40 is something he wants to tick off.

    Fighting out of his contract would also allow Cerrone to pursue other options away from the UFC and this is why he was brought out on stage in the first place. “Cowboy” came through the curtain after it was said that there was someone backstage that had a message for Jake Paul.

    After receiving a warm welcome from the fans inside the building, he laid out his current plans for the future which could involve “The Problem Child” once his UFC obligations are fulfilled.

    “I mean if the guy wants to come to MMA, I’ll gladly whip his f****** a** but I am coming out of retirement and I have two more fights on our contract so I want 40 UFC fights, that’s the number so I have two before July to get done and then I’m gonna go out there and give it hell and if Jake wants to jump in line for the a** whipping train, he can jump on and give me all the money.”

    Cerrone was then asked by Tony Hinchcliffe whether he would step into boxing to face Paul like several other MMA fighters like Tyron Woodley and Nate Diaz have. He declined this offer, having the self awareness to know that the fight wouldn’t go well for him in this field.

    “No I’m f****** terrible at boxing, I have no head movement. I need to take him down and whip his a**.”

  • Donald Cerrone Gets Ripped For UFC Comeback After Steroid Usage: ‘It’s Not A Good Look’

    Donald Cerrone Gets Ripped For UFC Comeback After Steroid Usage: ‘It’s Not A Good Look’

    Donald Cerrone has sparked mixed reactions from fans after announcing his intentions to return to the sport for two more fights despite retiring in 2022. Cerrone, who was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2023, hopes to bring his total career fights to 50.

    Following his retirement, Cerrone openly admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), including testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), since he was no longer subject to USADA testing. He noted that the treatments made him feel younger. However, his decision to return to competition after using PEDs has drawn criticism, including from Bellator middleweight champion Johnny Eblen.

    Cerrone Criticized

    “I just don’t think it’s a good idea to retire, take a bunch of steroids, and then come back and fight again,” Eblen said during a post-fight news conference (via MMA Junkie). “It’s not a good look, man.”

    Eblen went on to blame Conor McGregor for setting a precedent by using PEDs while outside of the USADA testing pool, only to return to fighting.

    “I think Conor paved the way, and he’s influencing a lot of people to do it,” Eblen said. “People are trying to fight past their prime using these substances, and it’s just not natural. It’s not good. Your brain doesn’t heal from steroids, so all that CTE just adds up. I’m very against steroids and against people fighting past their prime.”

  • Cormier Opposes Cerrone’s Possible UFC Return Following PED Admission

    Cormier Opposes Cerrone’s Possible UFC Return Following PED Admission

    Daniel Cormier recently pushed back against Donald Cerrone’s plans for a UFC comeback following his revelation of using performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) during his retirement.

    Earlier this week, “Cowboy”, who retired from the UFC in July 2022, revealed plans to come out of retirement with an ambitious goal—reaching the achievement of 50 total bouts under the Zuffa banner. The 41-year-old fan favorite has racked up 38 UFC fights, placing him third in the promotion’s history—excluding the 10 more bouts he logged in the WEC.

    Cerrone also disclosed that he’s been on Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) and other PEDs throughout his time away from the Octagon. Now, he’s working to flush these substances out of his system, aiming to rejoin the drug-testing pool and make his return for two more fights.

    However, Cormier isn’t on board with Cerrone’s plan to return to active competition after openly admitting to using steroids during his hiatus. In a recent video on his YouTube channel, the former two-division UFC champion voiced his firm disapproval, stating that “Cowboy” actions could set a troubling precedent.

    “DC” argued that it might inspire other fighters to temporarily withdraw from testing protocols, exploit their time off, and return with an unfair advantage.

    “For years now, he’s been openly using steroids. I don’t quite know what it is, but he’s not been clean. And even if he can come back, take tests, and pass those tests, for him to get back, he has to do all of those things and all those enhancers to allow him to feel like he can compete at that level again.

    So he would test clean, but isn’t that just a loophole? Isn’t it just a loophole like with the guys, when they get hurt, they get out of the testing pool? They recover from the injury; then they re-enter the testing pool.”

    – DC on Cowboy Cerrone wanting to fight again

    Cerrone last fought at UFC 276, where he suffered a submission loss to Jim Miller. Despite this setback, his career is impressive, featuring 18 post-fight bonuses—the most in UFC history, a record he shares with Charles Oliveira. He is tied for the second-most wins in UFC history with 23, alongside Andrei Arlovski, and holds 16 finishes, second only to Miller.

    In recognition of his legendary career, Cerrone was inducted into the modern wing of the UFC Hall of Fame in March 2023.

  • Dana White ‘Hates Donald Cerrone’s UFC Comeback Idea

    UFC President Dana White is not on board with Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone’s plans for a potential return to the octagon. The former title contender, who retired in 2022, has expressed interest in stepping out of retirement to fight twice, aiming to reach a career total of 50 fights.

    Cerrone’s last victory came in May 2019, when he won a decision over Al Iaquinta. However, after that, he experienced a rough patch, going on a four-fight losing streak, including three TKO losses to top fighters like Tony Ferguson, Justin Gaethje, and Conor McGregor. Cerrone managed to go the distance in a bout against Anthony Pettis at UFC 249, but his fight with Niko Price, initially ruled a majority decision, was later overturned to a no contest. He was then finished by Alex Morono in May 2021 and submitted by Jim Miller at UFC 276 in July 2022.

    White Sounds Off

    Despite Cerrone’s aspirations for a comeback, Dana White strongly opposes the idea. During a press conference following Dana White’s Contender Series 76, White made his stance clear.

    “I hate it,” White said. “I love him, but I hate that. He retired. For what? What’s left to prove? If it’s about making money, we can figure something else out. When guys retire, they retire for a reason—they know it’s over. It’s hard to walk away from, not just the money, but the feeling of walking out of that tunnel, getting in the cage, and hearing the crowd.”

    – Dana White on Cowboy Cerrone coming out of retirement

    White continued to emphasize that Cerrone is a beloved figure in the UFC, and he’s “gone to war” in the Octagon more than enough times to deserve the adulation he receives.

    “… it’s time for him to stop going to war—there’s nothing left for him to prove.”

    – Dana White on Cowboy Cerrone coming out of retirement
  • UFC Hall Of Famer Says He’s Returning From Retirement For 2 Final Fights

    UFC Hall Of Famer Says He’s Returning From Retirement For 2 Final Fights

    Donald Cerrone recently announced that he’s stepping out of retirement with the goal of setting several unmatched records.

    “Cowboy” hung up his gloves after enduring a rough stretch of six consecutive losses in the Octagon, with the final blow being a second-round submission defeat to fellow veteran Jim Miller at UFC 276 in July 2022.

    However, it seems that Cerrone has made up his mind to return to the promotion, aiming to reach an impressive milestone of 50 total appearances under the Zuffa banner. The 41-year-old Colorado native currently boasts 38 fights in the Octagon, ranking him third in the organization’s history, excluding the 10 bouts he fought in the WEC.

    In a recent Instagram video, “Cowboy” revealed that he had been collaborating with a company and undergoing Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT), along with other substances for the last few years.

    However, he is now preparing to cleanse his system of these compounds to re-enter the drug-testing pool and compete in two more fights.

    “I want to go back and get two more fights,” Cerrone said. “When I retired, I told you I was getting my hair done and getting on steroids. The number 50 has been sitting on my mind for a while. The last two years, I’ve been taking TRT and a bunch of peptides; now we’ve got a protocol. For all you people who are like, ‘Oh, what if you get on it, you can’t ever come off?’ Well, I now have to come off and piss clean. I’ll fight in a few months, so watch this.”

    Although Cerrone never became a UFC champion, he remains a fan favorite. Throughout his active career, “Cowboy” amassed an impressive 18 post-fight bonuses, the most in UFC history, a record he shares with Charles Oliveira.

    Additionally, he is tied for the second-most wins in UFC history with 23, alongside Andrei Arlovski, and boasts the second-most finishes, totaling 16, matched only by Miller.

    For his illustrious career, which includes victories over multiple former UFC lightweight champions such as Oliveira, Eddie Alvarez, and Benson Henderson, Cerrone was honored with an induction into the modern wing of the UFC Hall of Fame last year.

  • Ariel Helwani: Life’s Too Short For “Nonsense” Cerrone Beef

    Renowned MMA journalist Ariel Helwani recently looked back on his “beef” with Donald Cerrone, suggesting it has certainly been squashed on his side.

    Throughout his rise from budding journalist to one of the most well-known names in the world of MMA media, Helwani has clashed with a host of individuals. From recent interactions with Brendan Schaub and Dillon Danis to a feud with UFC President Dana White, one which led to him being stripped of his UFC press credentials, the Canadian has had a prominent presence in the sport, even beyond his coverage of it.

    One other name Helwani has got on the wrong side of is veteran “Cowboy” Cerrone. The incident that sparked animosity occurred at the start of 2019, almost a year prior to the welterweight’s main event clash with Conor McGregor.

    At the time, the fight was only rumored. But while the Colorado native had made his desire to face the Irishman known, Helwani wanted to see more fire in his eyes and more of the “old Cowboy.”

    During an interview with Chael Sonnen, Cerrone took exception to Helwani’s comments. In a profanity-ridden rant, “Cowboy” unloaded on the reporter, threatening to “fuck him up.”

    “You know what else I wanna tell you? When you fucking run into Ariel again, you can just backhand that little bitch for me. If he ever talks about me again, I’m gonna fuck him up, for real… I just saw the little piece that somebody sent me with him talking… motherfucker if you wanna see fire in my eyes bitch, I’ll fucking show you next time I see you… Who the fuck are you behind your microphone motherfucker. Get in there and do something with your life… Next time Ariel wants to have me as a guest, fuck you pussy, you’re dead to me.”

    Helwani: “In My Mind, It’s Squashed”

    Now three years on from the incident, Helwani has addressed where his relationship with Cerrone currently sits. During a recent episode of The MMA Hour, the Canadian reporter was asked whether the beef has been squashed. In response, Helwani gave a run-down of how his comments about “Cowboy” had been misinterpreted.

    “Does he have beef with me still? Maybe, but I haven’t reached out to him. Do I have beef with him? No. Cowboy got mad at me because I said something before, I think it was the Conor fight, no, he was trying to get the Conor fight, and I was saying like, ‘Where’s the old Cowboy? We need the old Cowboy.’ I was basically trying to do the promo that Vince McMahon gave Stone Cold Steve Austin during the invasion in 2001, where he’s like, ‘We need the old Stone Cold! We need the old…’ And I was trying to do that. He looked at it the wrong way and got really mad and said some things.”

    Helwani added that while he certainly has no animosity towards the UFC legend and believes the beef has been squashed on his side, he doesn’t know if the same can be said for Cerrone.

    “I saw him in Chicago. I went up to him and he didn’t wanna talk to me, so, no beef here. Does he have beef? I don’t know. In my mind, it’s squashed. Life’s too short for this nonsense. Come on.”

    In the months after Cerrone and Helwani’s feud, a fight between the American and McGregor was announced, and the pair headlined UFC 246 in January 2020. While Helwani called for the old Cerrone pre-fight, he was likely left wanting the old Cerrone post-fight.

    After just 40 seconds, “Cowboy” was finished by the returning former two-division champion in vicious fashion. Since then, the 38-year-old has remained winless, falling to defeats against Anthony Pettis and Alex Morono. He is now booked to fight fellow UFC vet Joe Lauzon in April.

    What did you make of Ariel Helwani’s comments in 2019 and Donald Cerrone’s reaction to them?

  • Donald Cerrone Returns April 30 To Meet Fellow UFC Vet Joe Lauzon

    After speculation about his fighting future circulated last year, the Cowboy will ride again when Donald Cerrone meets Joe Lauzon at a UFC Fight Night event on April 30.

    Following his TKO loss to Alex Morono at UFC Fight Night: Rodriguez vs. Waterson last May, many fans were wondering if Cerrone had fought in the Octagon for the last time. After all, that now made him winless in his last six fights, with four of those bouts ending via TKO.

    UFC President Dana White addressed Cerrone’s future last year, indicating that he would allow Cowboy to move back down to lightweight for another fight but that a loss would mean the end of his legendary run in the UFC. We now know that this crucial bout will be against Joe Lauzon on April 30 based on a report Friday from MMA Junkie.

    Like Cerrone, Joe Lauzon has also been competing in the UFC for over a decade. Making his Octagon debut in 2006, Lauzon has gone 15-12 during this run, with Fight of the Night performances against standouts like Jim Miller (twice), Michael Chiesa, and Kenny Florian. He also won a Performance of the Night over Diego Sanchez at the historic UFC 200 event in 2016.

    Donald Cerrone’s most recent victory came against Al Iaquinta in 2019. The last time he won Performance of the Night was with his sick armbar victory over Mike Perry in November 2018.

    Donald Cerrone says he felt Mike Perry's arm pop before submission - MMA Fighting
    Image Credit: MMA Fighting

    With this bout set, the updated lineup for the April 30 Fight Night card is as follows:

    • Donald Cerrone vs. Joe Lauzon
    • Cortney Casey vs. Antonina Shevchenko
    • Gina Mazany vs. Shanna Young
    • Francisco Figueiredo vs. Daniel da Silva
    • Mike Breeden vs. Natan Levy

    What is your prediction for this fight between UFC veterans Donald Cerrone and Joe Lauzon on April 30?

  • Pimblett Confirms Likely UFC London Fight, Hasn’t Been Offered Cerrone

    Paddy Pimblett has hinted that he’ll return to action on the card expected to take place in London in March, but it seemingly won’t be against Donald Cerrone.

    In mid-2021, Pimblett had signed for MMA’s premier organization and the hype surrounding his UFC debut was rising. That first appearance finally happened at UFC Vegas 36 in September. At a European-heavy event, he joined UK stars Darren Till and Tom Aspinall on the main card.

    Ahead of his first Octagon outing, Pimblett repeatedly promised to knock Luigi Vendramini out inside the first round. In the early exchanges, in which “The Baddy” appeared to be rocked and was taken down, that prediction looked unlikely.

    But with less than a minute until the horn sounded, Pimblett found his rhythm and finished his Brazilian opponent on the feet. The following post-fight interview saw Pimblett well and truly announce his arrival in the UFC’s 155-pound division.

    Pimblett Says “He’ll Take Someone’s head off” In The O2

    Since Pimblett’s debut victory, there’s been plenty of speculation about his second fight and next opponent. The most prominent rumor surrounded a potential clash with UFC veteran Donald Cerrone. Talk of that clash first appeared after Chael Sonnen suggested “Cowboy” had told him of his interest in facing the young Liverpudlian.

    But during a recent appearance on Michael Bisping’s Believe You Me podcast, Pimblett said there’s no truth to the idea he’ll be facing Cerrone in early March, suggesting it would make no sense for the promotion to book him on a US card just weeks before they reportedly head to his home country of England.

    “It’s going round everywhere, but there’s no truth to it. Nothing on my end. Do you really think that the UFC are gonna put me on a card on the 5th of March in Vegas when they’re doing London on the 19th? It doesn’t make sense… I think that was just Chael having a little go for some clickbait or something. It started with Chael.”

    While it appears Cerrone won’t be the opponent, Pimblett is certainly eager to make the London walk on March 19. He further told Bisping that an appearance on the card, which is already set to feature his teammate Molly McCann and fellow UK prospect Jack Shore, is “happening.”

    “I would like to fight in London, in front of my home crowd. It would be sick… That’s what I’m guessing (will happen) and that’s what I’ve been told, that me and Molly will be fighting on the same card… That’s happening. I’m gonna take someone’s head off again in the O2. I’ll announce myself once again.”

    Despite the UFC’s expected return to London being just over two months away, Pimblett says he’s yet to hear anything from the promotion regarding a potential opponent. But whoever he’s matched up with, the fight is certain to have an electric crowd watching on inside the O2 arena if the London card comes to fruition.

    Who would you like to see Paddy Pimblett face if the UFC returns to London for the March 19 card?