Donald Cerrone had an eight-fight winning-streak snapped by UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos in a matter of 66 seconds at UFC on FOX 17 last Saturday.
To earn his title shot, Cerrone defeated some of the 155-pound division’s finest competitors over the course of the last two years, many of them by submission or knockout. But against the champion, “Cowboy” got dominated like never before.
His explanation afterwards was simple:
“Sometimes you just don’t show up to work, so you get your ass kicked,” Cerrone told MMAjunkie at the post-fight press conference. “Hat’s off to the son of a (expletive). He did what he had to do. … The knee is what started it. Then he put a great onslaught of punches on me. He did a great job overwhelming me, and he did what he had to do to remain champ. Sometimes you just don’t show up, and in our profession, that’s a bad day.”
Cerrone is one of the most active fighters on the UFC roster and fought seven times in the last 24 months. The 32-year old adrenaline junkie has always been a safe bank for UFC matchmakers, who sought a last-second replacement for injured fighters to save the card. But after a devastating loss like this, Cerrone is not sure if will be able to return to the Octagon as soon as he did in the past.
“I have no idea how that will work,” Cerrone said. “I don’t even know if (the UFC will) want to call me after that ass whipping. But that’s what I do is fight. Sometimes you just don’t show up. I don’t have an excuse – I just wasn’t there. He showed up and did what he had to do.”