Former UFC lightweight champion, Donald Cerrone struggled to hold back tears and emotions as he previewed his pivotal UFC 274 main card opener against Joe Lauzon this weekend in Phoenix, Arizona – detailing the influence his son, Dacson Danger, had on his camp and the impact he will have on his father’s walkout at the Footprint Center.
Cerrone, a one-time lightweight title challenger under the banner of the UFC, potentially fights for his future with the organization this weekend in the ‘Copper State’ – attempting to snap a run of six fights without a victory.
The Colorado native most recently featured at the welterweight limit against Alex Morono in May of last year at UFC Vegas 26, suffering an opening round knockout loss.
Donald Cerrone’s most recent win came against Al Iaquinta In May 2019
Returning to the lightweight division for the first time since a September 2019 headliner against event main event feature, Justin Gaethje against Lauzon this weekend, Cerrone let out his emotions during his media availability this week ahead of UFC 274, discussing the importance of his son during his fight camp; a key point of inspiration to the veteran
“It’s not me, it’s my son,” Donald Cerrone told assembled media as he fought back tears. “I can’t wait to walk out of that tunnel and see the look on his face. I can’t wait. He finally knows what I do. It’s crazy how emotional I get but any time I was working out and I didn’t want to do it, that’s who I thought of. I cannot f*cking wait.”
“I cannot wait to see him smile like, ‘Wow, this is my dad’ so to me that’s why I wanted a sold-out crowd,” Donald Cerrone said. “To walk out of that tunnel, blow the roof off this place and look over and see my son like, ‘Wow, dad, that’s you.”
Cerrone, 39, detailed how his young son now has somewhat of an understanding of his father’s profession, which has now created a dialogue between the two surrounding Cerrone’s fights.
“He’s almost four and he’ll be able to grasp that,” Donald Cerrone said of his son. “He still doesn’t know what I do. Like, ‘You’re going to Vegas to go to work, dad?’ He doesn’t know what that means. He loves Ninja Turtles, he loves fighting, so I can’t wait to ask him, ‘What Ninja Turtle is daddy going to be tonight?’ ‘cause I’m going to go out there and kick some f*cking ass so watch out.”(Transcribed by MMA Fighting)