It’s no secret that there’s a lot of bad blood between UFC lightweights Donald Cerrone and Nate Diaz going into Friday’s bout.
In the video above, Cerrone and Diaz get right into each other’s faces at the pre-fight press conference for this weekend’s UFC 141. Diaz can be seen knocking Cerrone’s trademark cowboy hat off his head before UFC President Dana White was forced to intervene.
Both fighters, known for their intensity in and outside of the Octagon, have been butting heads even before the matchup was announced.
According to Cerrone, Diaz refused to shake his hand when “The Cowboy” introduced himself at the open workout media event prior to UFC 137.
“He slaps my hand away, called me a punk-ass, and walks off,” Cerrone recalled in the UFC’s preview promo for UFC 141.
Diaz also recalled the incident, saying, “Yeah, he shouldn’t have done that. He’s in my bracket and we’re gonna fight each other. You go your way and I’ll go mine.”
Cerrone has had an extraordinary 2011, winning not only all four of his bouts, but also taking each fight night bonus.
In his last two outings, Cerrone took Submission of the Night and Knockout of the Night over Dennis Siver and Charles Oliveira respectively.
“The Cowboy” also took a Fight of the Night bonus at UFC 126 for his second-round rear-naked choke victory over Paul Kelly.
Diaz is coming off the biggest win of his career, taking Submission of the Night at UFC 135 for his first-round armbar win over Pride legend Takanori Gomi. The win marked Diaz’s return to the lightweight division after two straight losses to UFC welterweights Rory MacDonald and Dong Hyun Kim.
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