Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC
At this point of his career, Donald Cerrone still sees himself fighting for a UFC world title.
UFC lightweight contender Donald Cerrone is one of the most beloved fighters today. He does hold a number of records, including the most wins in the UFC with a total of 23 but there’s one accolade that’s long eluded him: a UFC title.
“Cowboy” went on a two-fight skid on Saturday when he was stopped by Justin Gaethje in the first round of their main event fight in Vancouver. Nonetheless, he still has his sights on another title fight.
“I’m gonna get the belt, it’s gonna happen,” he told media members in a post-fight scrum. “I guess I just stood down a rank a little but I’m gonna come back, I’m gonna train hard, and I’m gonna get it.”
For the 36-year-old Cerrone, a fighting legacy without winning a UFC title would be incomplete, and he wants another chance, even with the likelihood of falling short once again.
“It’s the last thing I gotta do to my legacy,” he said. “You talk about my legacy and people try to mimic it. Well, you can have the greatest legacy in the world, and if I don’t have a belt, I just fall a little bit short.
“Now, me, reflecting on everything, that’s one thing I want,” he continued. “I don’t think what people think, ‘you deserve this, you’re the people’s champ…
“And then on the flip side of this, if everyone said ‘you tried so hard and you make it and you never get it, is it gonna crush you?’ No, man, I tried. If it’s something I can teach my boy, I tried.”
With the loss to Gaethje, Cerrone drops to a record of 36-13 (with 1 NC and 27 wins by stoppage).