Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone is riding off into the sunset, and he couldn’t be happier about it.
Cerrone lost by submission in the second round to Jim Miller in the UFC 276. prelims on Saturday in Las Vegas. After the bout, Cerrone took off his gloves and trademark cowboy hat and left them in the ring, signaling his retirement from the sport. He said that “I don’t love it anymore” and went on to say so in his post-fight interview.
Speaking at his post-fight press scrum, Cerrone went into more detail about his retirement, telling reporters that he knew heading into UFC 276 that this was his final rodeo.
“This sport is crazy. It’s the highest highs and the lowest lows, and I feel, probably the best I’ve felt in my career at my lowest right now if that makes any sense,” Cerrone said. It was crucial for me that I went out with Joe [Rogan] as well as Bruce [Buffer] inside the cage. Just an iconic thing, here in Vegas. I knew back in January when we started training for the first round, this was going to be my last round, no matter what I told you guys. When I told the media that I would do 50,’, but lose or win tonight, it was clear to me, it was my last round.
” I don’t like it as much anymore. Last night I couldn’t sleep. I was up until six in the morning laying there, and I’m not going to miss those feelings, I’ll tell you that. But it was good to go in there. I surprised the hell out of my team. They had no idea it was coming. My wife did not know. No one knew. It was a good secret I had. It’s emotional. But I feel great. This is the greatest sigh I have ever felt of relief in all my life. ‘Ooh. Aah. It’s over. It’s my turn. I’ll come hang out, watch fights, talk to the young generation, tell them all the things they should’ve, could’ve, would’ve done. Maybe I will get the itch within two years. But anytime soon, hell to the no.”
Cerrone had apparently been contemplating retirement for some time. Cowboy said he first knew his was ready to hang up his gloves in 2020, when he fought Conor McGregor at UFC 246, but he tried, unsuccessfully to rekindle his passion for the sport several times since then.
” “Before McGregor, was all I knew,” Cerrone stated. After the McGregor fight I took another fight. I was doing the same thing as before. I didn’t enjoy it, didn’t love it. It was clear that the time would soon come, but I had to choose the right moment. After taking a lot time, I called my agent to say let’s fight. I knew that this would be the last …
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“My wife played soccer in college, and a lot of the things that kept me going in the last fights of my life was, she was like, ‘I wish I could go back and just play one more game,'” Cerrone said. “‘You have the chance to do one more fight. You can experience it. I just was doing it for all the wrong reasons. It was for everyone else, and it wasn’t just me. But retiring tonight, that was for me, and I f****** feel good about it. I’m gonna go home tonight and crack me a nice cold Budweiser and f****** chug it all the way down and be like, ‘Ahh. Good career, Cowboy.'”
Good career, indeed. Cerrone leaves MMA after a Hall of Fame-worthy professional career. Cowboy retires tied for second all-time for multiple UFC record including fights at 38 (tied with Andrei Arlovski), wins at 23 (also tied with Arlovski), and finishes at 16 (tied with Miller). He also holds the records for most knockdowns in UFC history at 20, and is tied with Charles Oliveira for most post-fight bonuses at 18. It might seem difficult for Cerrone, given his long career, to pick his best moment. However, he stated that his retirement was his favourite, even though he lost.
“This is it right here tonight,” Cerrone said. Everyone got very emotional. Like I said, I had both my boys in there, Bruce and Joe sent me off, and I’ll hang my hat on that all day long. One hell of a career. Why not? You can keep on going if you tie the guy with the most wins. Yes! Good job, Jim. F ****** Get on it! I’m going to step down and it’s all good. This is the moment I would choose to look back at if there was ever a time. I’ve dreamt of this moment for a long time, of finally being OK in my heart saying it’s time to walk away, and this was it.”
And as for the future, Cerrone left behind a budding film career and sent Cerrone off wearing his trademark Cowboy style.
” I will drink beer in the first row, and I have a stomach so large I cannot see my d ***,. That’s why I want to do this,” Cerrone stated. Take a good look at my body, it won’t be the last. After that it will never look the same .”
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