Former UFC Hall of Famer Nears Comeback, Yet Dana White Dislikes Concept
Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone is set on returning to the UFC ring.
Recently, Cerrone shared on Adam "Pac-Man" Jones' podcast that he's back in the UFC's testing pool, requiring a six-month clean period, aiming for a comeback between June and July.
UFC President Dana White expressed his displeasure when Cerrone's return was first announced. White bluntly told journalists, "I hate it. I hate it. Love him, hate that. He retired for a reason. For what? If it's about money, he can find another source. Cause he ain't gonna fight forever, he'll always need money. So let's sort that out now instead of three years down the line."
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The mention of Cerrone’s comeback was discussed during the post-event press conference following an episode of Season 8 of the Dana White Contender Series.
White expressed concerns about Cerrone taking any more damage.
Cerrone has been vocal about using steroids and peptides during his time away from the Octagon. He feels rejuvenated and ready for two more fights in the UFC, bringing his total to 50 under the Zuffa banner.
However, Cerrone understands that he'll need to detox from the performance-enhancing drugs he's been using—legal for civilians but banned for athletes competing in combat sports.
Former UFC champion and current analyst Daniel Cormier openly criticized Cerrone's decision to return to the Octagon.
Despite the criticism from his peers and UFC president, Cerrone seems undeterred. White's concerns are valid.
Cerrone's UFC career was on a significant downturn, ending a nine-match losing streak, with a no-contest against Niko Price in September 2020 being the only deciding factor avoiding a worse streak than Tony Ferguson.
Cerrone was inducted into the UFC's Hall of Fame despite a 36-17 (two no contests) record and never winning a title. He earned a reputation as one of the most thrilling, resilient, and readily available fighters in MMA history.
In addition to his 55 professional MMA fights, Cerrone bagged 21 performance bonuses. He challenged for a championship twice, once in WEC and once in the UFC, losing by split decision to Jamie Varner for the WEC lightweight championship in January 2009.
Cerrone was stopped in the first round by Rafael dos Anjos in his quest to become the UFC lightweight champion in 2015.
Should Cerrone decide to return, he believes he'll compete at middleweight. It'll be intriguing to see who he faces if he makes it through the testing process.
A fight against Ferguson, although he's never fought at middleweight, makes sense. A rematch with Conor McGregor could be possible, though it'd be a bigger surprise to see McGregor return to the Octagon than Cerrone.
Cerrone may find opposition in Nate Diaz or Jorge Masvidal. Pitting Cerrone against a young, upcoming fighter might expose him to unnecessary harm.
Couldn't rule out seeing Cerrone on the prelim card during International Fight Week in Las Vegas. Despite his retirement and inactivity, he still retains a strong following and name recognition.
Cerrone's fight would be a compelling featured prelim, no matter the opponent.
UFC President Dana White mentioned Cerrone's comeback during the post-event press conference after an episode of Season 8 of the Dana White Contender Series.
Despite Dana White's concerns and criticism from other UFC personnel, Donald Cerrone is scheduled to compete at UFC 312, as per the UFC schedule.
UFC 311 featured several exciting matches, but the anticipation for Cerrone's comeback fight has been a major talking point in UFC news this month.
After retirement and a downturn in his UFC career, Cerrone is making a comeback, aiming to add more victories to his record, currently at 36-17 (two no contests) in the UFC.
