Donald Cerrone is heading to the UFC Corridor of Fame, and couldn’t be happier.
The announcement was made in the course of the UFC on ESPN 43 occasion at AT&T Heart in San Antonio, catching Cerrone (36-17 MMA, 23-14 UFC) without warning. Cerrone’s spouse and youngsters got here out to affix him cageside in the course of the announcement, which was an added factor to the second of being added to the 2023 class.
“All through my profession, everybody says ‘Future Corridor of Famer, future Corridor of Famer.’ It similar to rattles off, you understand?” Cerrone informed reporters backstage. “It’s simply phrases. It’s not an actual factor till it’s an actual factor, you understand? It’s loopy. Man, I’m taken away and honored, to be sincere. I don’t actually have phrases to precise. … I had no clue my household was even right here, in order that was one other shock.”
One of many sport’s hottest fighters due to his combat fashion and willingness to tackle anybody at any time, will quickly have his names amongst different legends of the game when he’s formally inducted later this summer time together with Anderson Silva, Jose Aldo, and Jens Pulver.
“Now it’s sinking in to be like, ‘Yeah, I’m within the Corridor,’” Cerrone mentioned. “It’s cool, it’s an honor, man. I imply, you look throughout any main league sport, the Corridor of Famers, that’s an vital factor, man. To be with the greats of Chuck Liddell, Anderson Silva, Urijah (Faber), the checklist goes – it’s not that large of a listing, to be sincere with you, in our recreation. To be hanging on the wall on the PI, it’s going to be cool.”
“Cowboy” known as it a profession after his ultimate combat in opposition to Jim Miller at UFC 276 final July, ending a professional MMA profession that started in 2006. As for what Cerrone misses about being an energetic fighter, it’s about every part besides really getting into the cage.
“I miss the camaraderie, I miss all you guys again right here, I miss this, I miss the coaching with the teams and preparing, however being in there and preventing, I don’t (miss it),” Cerrone mentioned. “It was time. It was time to bow out, and like I mentioned, I’m going to Hollywood, man. That’s my subsequent plan, that’s the subsequent mission. I get pleasure from shifting ahead with all that, and loving the journey I’m on now, however there’s days the place I feel again like, ‘Man, do we’ve got another in us? Do return for 2 and have 50?’”
Whereas Cerrone admits he contemplates that return to achieve a complete of fifty walks to cage throughout his WEC and UFC days, his return may be very unlikely contemplating his new targets and the pesky element of passing a USADA take a look at.
“I obtained my hair finished, so my hair is rising in, and obtained on steroids, so I couldn’t come again if I wished to proper now,” Cerrone mentioned with a smile. “I really feel good proper now. I’m wholesome, completely happy, and simply having fun with a number of time with the youngsters and them rising up with the household, and like I mentioned, chasing Hollywood – which is lots like ranging from the very starting of eager to be a UFC fighter once more, is how I really feel. I simply re-entered that realm once more, so let’s strap the boots on, let’s go.”
