It happened somewhere between the loss to Nathan Diaz and the win over Evan Dunham; something changed in Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone.
Cerrone has always struggled with the mental aspect of the game; his explanation of the pre-fight jitters that accompany every walk to the cage works better as an anti-MMA PSA video than anything else.
But lost in the ether between getting punched 238 times and tapping out a BJJ black belt, Donald Cerrone figured something out.
It’s unclear yet what that “something” is, though, and that’s what makes this Saturday’s UFC on FOX main event more compelling than it already is.
Donald Cerrone hasn’t lost a fight in the previous two years, three months, and 21 days. It is hands down the longest active winning streak of his career, dating back to 2007.
The last guy to beat him in those 843 days, though, just so happens to be his dance partner this Saturday.
Rafael dos Anjos, the current lightweight champion of the UFC (and one of Cerrone’s toughest fights to date) could bring Cowboy’s winning streak to such a screeching halt it would be hard to remember what got him the title fight in the first place.
That’s the worst part of tomorrow’s main event; we know how this fight will probably go.
Utilizing his strength and superior grappling, dos Anjos cruised to a unanimous decision win over Cowboy after their last go-round in August of 2013.
For Cerrone, the fight provided a much-needed lesson that he clearly took to heart; Cowboy notched five finishes in his next eight fights, four of which garnering a “performance of the night” bonus.
After dismantling Cowboy, dos Anjos would actually go on to lose his next fight against feared Russian bear wrestler Khabib Nurmagomedov, the true dark horse of the division.
Seemingly, though, the loss didn’t do much to stop the momentum of dos Anjos as he proceeded to knock out former champion Benson Henderson and dominate Anthony Pettis en route to his first UFC title win.
In what has been the current champ’s only fight in 2015, dos Anjos battered Pettis over five rounds, and was in fact the only title challenger to pick up a clear 50-45 win on all three judge’s scorecards.
Now, nearly two and a half years since their last meeting, dos Anjos looks to solidify his claim as the best lightweight fighter in the UFC, while Cowboy takes part in just his first title fight ever.
This is where we learn just what that “something” was for Cowboy. He’s managed to create a persona of a guy who just doesn’t give a damn. He drinks during training camps; he climbs rock faces with little to no protective gear; he wakeboards with professional athletes.
The dude owns a bull for crying out loud.
Cowboy Cerrone stands out amongst fighters for many reasons. In a sport where your every movement and position can either guarantee you success or seal your fate, Cerrone has somehow figured out how to put everything to the side and just fight.
He is one of the rare ones, a member of the dying breed of fighters that seemingly cares very little for wins and losses and instead strives to spend as much time in the fire.
The best part? He’s terrified of the entire experience.
And ultimately, that’s what makes Cerrone one of the most compelling athletes on the roster. Fans relate to him; he likes to drink beer and go shooting with his friends, while simultaneously fighting a minimum of four times every year like clockwork.
A win on Saturday would be huge for Cowboy, who just recently felt comfortable enough admitting the title does mean something to him, as much as he’d like to present the nonchalant, rural New Mexican rancher type.
“It does mean something: it means you’re the best in the world.”
Win or lose, Cowboy won’t be going anywhere; he’s fought exclusively for Zuffa since 2007, and if his high activity streak continues, he may go down in history as the most winning fighter in UFC/WEC history.
But accolades aren’t what got Cowboy into the sport. He just wants to be the guy you’ll drop everything for in order to watch him fight.
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