Donald Cerrone has become somewhat the forgotten man ahead of Saturday’s UFC 246 card.
And “Cowboy” is embracing that role.
Cerrone will face Conor McGregor in the main event of UFC 246 from Las Vegas at welterweight. And for the former title contender, he knows this is his chance to prove all those doubters wrong.
“He’s the two-time, belt-holding champ, so you could definitely say this is, to date, the toughest battle,” Cerrone said during a special pre-fight press conference (thanks to MMA Fighting for the quotes). “I’m stoked, man, because this is, ‘Cowboy, can you fight the big fight? You never make it on the big fight.’ Well (expletive) here’s the biggest one. Let’s see.”
Conor McGregor-Donald Cerrone faceoff. pic.twitter.com/AzQtdD3xXb
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) January 16, 2020
The 36-year-old Cerrone has lost his last two, falling to Justin Gaethje and Tony Ferguson. He owns 36 career wins over 50 matches, including 17 by submission and 10 more via knockout.
“For all you analysts and experts that are out there asking these questions, you would be (expletive) stupid to think this man doesn’t have a wrestling defense, or some kind of grappling defense, so for me to just walk in and just go, ‘Oh, I’m going to take him down and submit him,’ get a (expletive) real life, man,” Cerrone said. “We’re going to go there and fight our asses off. That’s what’s going to happen.”
It's in their DNA ?@PBR riders show their support for @CowboyCerrone at #UFC246!
Get your 'Cowboy’s In My DNA' shirt ➡️ https://t.co/GMhRzDjm7w pic.twitter.com/JQ4YsNQrZq
— UFC (@ufc) January 16, 2020
UFC 246: McGregor Vs. Cowboy
MAIN CARD (ESPN+ Pay-Per-View)
Welterweight: Conor McGregor vs. Donald Cerrone
Female Bantamweight: Holly Holm vs. Raquel Pennington
Heavyweight: Aleksei Olenik vs. Maurice Greene
Strawweight: Claudia Gadelha vs. Alexa Grasso
Lightweight: Anthony Pettis vs. Carlos Diego Ferreria
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN2)
Female Flyweight: Roxanne Modafferi vs. Maycee Barber
Featherweight: Andre Fili vs. Sodiq Yusuff
Flyweight: Tim Elliott vs. Askar Askarov
Lightweight: Drew Dober vs. Nasrat Haqparast
PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC Fight Pass)
Light Heavyweight: Aleksa Camur vs. Justin Ledet
Female Flyweight: Sabina Mazo vs. JJ Aldrich
Bantamweight: Brian Kelleher vs. Ode Osbourne