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Donald Cerrone responds to Conor McGregor’s challenge to engage in a stand-up war at UFC 246.
Conor McGregor hasn’t said that much against Donald Cerrone ahead of their UFC 246 headliner fight this weekend. He did, however, lay out a stipulation, and that is to keep the action on the feet.
“First one to shoot’s a cowb-tch,” the Irishman wrote in a recent Instagram post.
In a pre-fight sit-down with ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, “Cowboy” accepted McGregor’s challenge.
“You know, I probably should (take the fight to the ground),” Cerrone said. “But I don’t think I will. I like to fight, too. I like to get in there and throw down.
“Everyone says his stand-up is amazing, so why not go and test it? Everyone says, ‘You wanna just stand there and get knocked out?’ But it’s my decision. It’s my stupidity.
“That’s just a stupid game, that’s a stupid decision,” he added.
An MMA veteran of nearly 14 years, Cerrone is banking on his experience and skillset.
“I know who I am. I look in the mirror and I know exactly who I am, so I get to go and make the decision I want,” he said. “Why wouldn’t I want to stand with one of the best? Why not? Can I take the punch? That’s the question I wanna know.
“Can he take my f—ng kicks is the question I wanna know.”
Cerrone also laid out his ideal ending, which he foresees to be a violent one.
“Knocking Conor out would be the perfect ending,” he said. “Cowboy head kick. Cowboy right hand. You know, like a battle would be more fun to me.
“Torn. Bloody. Battered. Know that I can go home to my wife, I wouldn’t be a knight in shining armor, I’d be a knight in battle-tested armor, wouldn’t I? To me that’s a little bit better.”
UFC 246 happens this Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.