What Time Does Cowboy Cerrone Fight Again
John Locher/Associated Press
Earlier this week, Donald Cerrone and his coaches jumped into his RV and trundled away from the BMF Ranch, his New United mexican states training compound, in a cloud of dust. Their destination was Jacksonville, Florida—close to 1,500 miles away equally the crow flies—where Cerrone is gear up to fight Anthony Pettis at UFC 249 this Sat.
Cerrone accepted this iii-round welterweight tour with Pettis, a rematch of a 2013 lightweight fight that he lost past first-round TKO, on a little over 2 weeks' detect. For the typical fighter, that's nowhere near enough time to prepare for a fight—particularly during the coronavirus pandemic, when nearly gyms are closed. All the same the man known equally "Cowboy" is not your typical fighter. In fact, nobody on the UFC's roster of more than 500 athletes is more synonymous with short-notice challenges of this kind than he is.
UFC 249 will mark the cease of the UFC's cursory, pandemic-induced hiatus. It will be followed by two more events on May 13 and 16, also in Jacksonville. The UFC threw this trio of events together in record time, and Cowboy, the promotion's virtually reliable gunslinger, knew from the early going that he'd factor into the plans.
"When they started scrambling, I knew I was going to get the phone call," Cowboy told Bleacher Report every bit his RV rolled through Mobile, Alabama, less than an hour's drive from the Florida-Alabama Land Line.
The moment the call came, Cowboy and his squad began another frantic effort to shoehorn an entire fight camp into a grossly insufficient timeframe. While he was able to get some good work in, he admits he'due south still not exactly in peak condition.
"I have my own ranch, my own gym, my ain everything," he said proudly. "I don't accept to get beg anyone to open a gym up. I have 1 correct in my back yard.
"It's brusque notice, and then nosotros but got in there, got after information technology," he added. "I feel skilful. Fat and out of shape, but good."
Cowboy's cavalier tone might give y'all the impression that he'southward completely unflappable, only that's not the case. He'due south struggled with the mental side of competition previously, most recently in a forty-2d TKO loss to MMA superstar Conor McGregor back in January.
It was the biggest fight of his career, and equally he told ESPN, he really "didn't want to exist there."
That wasn't the start time Cowboy endured this kind of struggle, and he doubts it'll exist the last. Unfortunately, it's incommunicable for him to predict where his mind will exist at come fight night.
"It's so difficult because you don't know," he conceded. "You don't know what information technology's going to be like [mentally]. Sometimes everything'southward great. Sometimes it's not. I wish I had the answers, the steps for it, but unfortunately, I've done this so many times, and I know information technology's either on or off.
"It's just hoping for the best," he added. "We've tried talking to sports psychiatrists, I've tried all kinds of things. I don't know the answer."
Despite the ever-present possibility of a mental snafu on fight night, Cowboy has no reservations about accepting as many fights as he can manage. He'south even willing to compete on the UFC'due south other two Jacksonville cards, mere days after his Saturday dark skirmish with Pettis, should the need arise.
"I'll park the bus downwardly here and fight all three nights," he said. "Unfortunately, you lot're only equally practiced as your last fight in this sport. I'll get three wins in a row and be a f--rex hero again.
"Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday," he added. "One week, three wins. Permit's go. I'm driving the RV downwardly to Florida to kick donkey, take names, and go home with a f--king bucketful of coin."
Cowboy's firsthand priority, of grade, is the Pettis rematch. There was some common animosity involved when they first met, merely they've since become friends—though that won't change anything on fight night.
In fact, all information technology means is that Cowboy will invite his foe to join him for a few drinks when the activity is in the rearview.
"I've got a whole f--king cooler total of Budweiser in the motorbus, then we're ready" he said with a express mirth. "I don't even care if bars are open [in Jacksonville]. My RV in the Parking Lot with Some Budweisers and Some Friends is open, so we'll be alright.
"We'll accept our own block political party—everybody can get their [COVID-19] swab before they enter the party."
Past now, yous should be getting a picture show of what could exist referred to every bit the Cowboy Way. He fights whenever he can, as hard equally he can, and spends the residual of his time preparation and hanging out with his family and friends exterior—often with a libation of beer in tow.
From the sounds of information technology, he has no plans of diffusive from that way of doing things someday soon. At least, non until he's cemented his legacy equally one of the most entertaining competitors in MMA history.
"I'll fight forever," he said. "As long equally I proceed passing these physicals and they let me go I'one thousand going to keep doing information technology.
"[When all is said and washed] I'g going to be the guy that, [fans] find out Cowboy is fighting, they find a bar or they pull up the app and they watch," he added. "That's it. That'due south all I've e'er cared about. I want them to know that when I footstep in there, information technology's going to exist one hell of a fight."
Source: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2890498-the-cowboy-rides-again-why-donald-cerrone-always-answers-when-the-ufc-calls
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