Ahead of his mixed martial arts return, Donald Cerrone has talked about the physical and emotional damage he sustained from his most recent defeat.
The MMA veteran tussled with Conor McGregor in a welterweight clash at UFC 246 last January. The returning Irishman needed only 40 seconds to dispatch ‘Cowboy’ as he caught him early with shoulder strikes and a head kick before finishing the fight with a ground-and-pound.
For Cerrone, it was the wrong guy who showed up against McGregor as it was the first time in his career he lasted for less than a minute.
“Donald showed up, Cowboy wasn’t there. The wrong guy showed up, couldn’t get going, couldn’t get excited, couldn’t get fired up, didn’t want to be there,” he told ESPN in a recent interview.
“Biggest fight, all the attention, my time to shine, I didn’t want to be there. (Expletive) it was crazy man. I don’t know why, I don’t how, I don’t know how to change that, but it sucks man.”
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Still Proud
Speaking on the damage caused by the knockout, Cerrone said: “My brain was definitely rattled from the ass-whooping I took in 40 seconds.”
“But I feel good. My eye healed up enough. My heart is still hurt, but that’s what makes it a man’s sport. We go in there and figure it out.”
Despite losing in a brutal fashion, ‘Cowboy’ said there is nothing to be ashamed of as he took the chance to face one of the best fighters in the UFC at the moment.
“That’s the only thing you can do is to suck it up and keep moving.”
“I can’t dwell on that. Can’t sit and worry about all that. I had my moment. I let it go, but at the end of the day, I got in there and did it. I stood with one of the best and I’m proud.
“I’m proud of what I’ve become in the sport. I’m proud as a father. It’s what I do. I give people hope and I keep fighting. That’s how we do it.”
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Ready To Go
Next month, Cerrone will try to turn things around when he takes on Anthony Pettis at the new UFC 249 card in Jacksonville, Florida.
“I was ready to fight May 9 – that’s the soonest I was ready to go,” he said.
“Other than that, I wasn’t really thinking about fighting. I just built my bar, took a few weeks off, hung out, but I was probably thinking about wanting to fight June or July.”
“They called me about fighting in May, and I was like, ‘Yeah, let’s go.’ Why not? It all worked out.”
“Losing sucks, I don’t care who you are. So it’s absolutely something I want to get back. Looking forward to this fight.”
“This is my wheelhouse. Taking fights on short notice, when no else is prepared and mentally I’m the strongest. I feel good. I feel hungry. Ready to go out there and do it.”
Cerrone is looking to end a three-fight losing skid and at the same time seeking revenge against ‘Showtime,’ who defeated him seven years ago.
(Featured Image Source: Instagram/ Conor McGregor and Donald Cerrone)