Former UFC lightweight title challenger, Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone has successfully avenged his two career defeats to former titleholder, Rafael dos Anjos, albeit in a grappling match.
Featuring at former two-time UFC middleweight and light heavyweight title challenger, Chael Sonnen’s Submission Underground 19, Cerrone and dos Anjos shared the mat for a standard five-minute period, with neither competitor able to secure a submission in the allotted time. During the overtime period where Cerrone chose an armbar dominant position while the Brazilian chose to take Cerrone’s back — the former seemed to have scored a submission win.
Disputing the tap and the referee’s decision, dos Anjos claimed he never actually tapped, but rather pushed in a bid to escape, with the two agreeing to run back their grappling matchup, just moments later. Putting an end to any controversy, Cerrone once more started from the armbar position, this time gaining a verbal tap from his two-time UFC foe.
Clashing with Niterol native, dos Anjos twice during their UFC careers, the Brazilian managed to grab two wins over the BMF Ranch owner. In their first pairing, dos Anjos took home a unanimous decision win over the kickboxer back in August 2013 at UFC Fight Night Indianapolis.
Headlining UFC Fight Night Orlando in December 2015, dos Anjos, the then-undisputed UFC lightweight champion put his title on the line against Cerrone in a rematch — managing his lone successful title knockback via an opening-round blitz and subsequent ground-and-pound barrage.
Taking main event status in his return to his old 155-pound stomping grounds in August last, dos Anjos closed the show against short-notice replacement, Paul ‘The Irish Dragon’ Felder over five-rounds, utilising his grappling and wrestling to edge out the Roufusport mainstay.
Featuring three-times under the UFC’s banner this year alone, Cerrone headlined UFC 246 against former two-weight world champion, ‘The Notorious’ Conor McGregor in January — dropping a forty-second knockout.
At UFC 249 in May, Cerrone met with former lightweight titleholder, Anthony ‘Showtime’ Pettis in another re-run, dropping a close unanimous decision defeat to the Milwaukee favourite in a hugely-competitive showing.
Originally battling to a majority draw with Niko ‘The Hybrid’ Price, Cerrone seen his losing run come to an end as the bout was overturned to a ‘No Contest’ after Price tested positive for marijuana metabolites.
Despite another valiant effort, UFC president, Dana White claimed that he would be willing to have a conversation with Cerrone about possibly hanging up his gloves, however, the veteran has plans for one final run at 155-pounds.