Donald Cerrone isn’t going anywhere – at least not any time soon.
With just one fight remaining on his deal following a second-round TKO of Rick Story at UFC 202 this past Saturday, Cerrone (31-7 MMA, 18-4 UFC) has opted not to fight out the final bout, then enter free agency. Instead, “Cowboy” has re-upped for eight more fights inside the octagon.
A UFC official today confirmed the news with MMAjunkie.
Cerrone is on one of the best stretches of his career. He’s won 11 of his past 12 fights, with the only blunder in that run a 66-second TKO loss to former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos in a title fight at UFC on FOX 17 in December.
Following that fight, Cerrone opted to move up to the welterweight division from his longtime home at 155 pounds, and the change has been nothing but positive for him. He’s 3-0 in the 170-pound weight class, earning TKO finishes of Story and Patrick Cote and a first-round submission of Alex Oliveira.
The most recent victory over Story pushed Cerrone into third place on the UFC’s all-time wins list with 18, trailing only current middleweight champion Michael Bisping (19) and former welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre (19).
“I’m a UFC guy, man – I’m not going anywhere,” Cerrone said following his UFC 202 victory. “I talked to (new UFC CEO) Ari (Emanuel) and they seem very happy with me, so I see big things with this company. I feel like I’m a veteran of this sport, man. I love it. I love fighting for the UFC, and this is my drug. I need it as much as I can – I feel like a crackhead up here already looking for another fight.”
