Donald Cerrone has made his first public comments since his fight-day withdrawal from UFC 274 on Saturday, and it came with some details about his combating future.
Cerrone (36-16 MMA, 23-13 UFC) contracted food poisoning the night sooner than his scheduled lightweight fight with Joe Lauzon (28-15 MMA, 15-12 UFC) at Footprint Heart in Phoenix. All suggestions were explored to retain him within the fight, nonetheless quickly after the cardboard started, the promotion announced “Cowboy” change into unable to compete attributable to illness.
It change into an irregular occurrence from Cerrone, who has been one in all essentially the most historically legit opponents to ever grace the octagon. Handiest Andrei Arlovski and Jim Miller take into accout logged more fights beneath the UFC banner, nonetheless he acknowledged this change into an not possible reveal.
“My coronary heart is broken and torn,” Cerrone acknowledged Sunday on Instagram. “I will’t reveal I needed to make that call. If you occur to acknowledge me, you recognize I most efficient pulled out as a result of I needed to. Thank you for the UFC and the scientific division for serving to me as some distance as we might well additionally, strive and make that buzzer, nonetheless we upright couldn’t get it.”
UFC president Dana White acknowledged Cerrone got food poisoning “eating tacos” at a cafe in Phoenix. White acknowledged the promotion did its easiest to retain the fight collectively, nonetheless the reveal change into “in actual fact spoiled,” and now not even an IV would’ve helped him.
It change into a vastly disappointing reveal for Cerrone, who change into emotional all over fight week as a result of he would get an opportunity to fight in entrance of his son Distress for the critical time since he’s been frail enough to fancy his occupation. White acknowledged there’s a risk the UFC will reschedule the matchup with Lauzon, whom Cerrone published might well presumably be the penultimate fight of his MMA profession.
Cerrone made his authentic debut in February 2006, and he will turn 40 years frail in March. He’s currently within the midst of a six-fight winless skid and acknowledged he has upright two more fights left within the tank. A form of would’ve been against Lauzon on Saturday, nonetheless now this might occasionally perchance want to back.
“I take into accout 48 fights beneath Zuffa,” Cerrone acknowledged. “I’m saddened that I couldn’t take into accout my 49th, build on a show for you all. My quantity is 50, gentlemen. I’ll retire when I get 50. So I got two more fights left within the UFC. So thanks, Dana White. Thank you, Joe Lauzon. Thank you for determining and now not taking that fight with an in sad health, in sad health ‘Cowboy.’ I wouldn’t are searching out for to fight that man. That it is possible you’ll like a solid, wholesome motherf*cker. So, we’ll meet again. Adore I acknowledged, ‘Cowboy’s’ got two more fights beneath Zuffa. I need 50 fights and then I’m bowing out, and I’m out of right here, boys. I’ll be relief stronger than ever and willing to buy on the arena.”
Cerrone currently is tied for essentially the most wins in UFC historical previous. He has the 2d most finishes (16) and is tied for essentially the most bonuses (18) of any fighter to compete for the UFC.