Donald Cerrone eyeing #1 contender fight at welterweight

After ending 2015 by dropping a 1st round TKO to Rafael dos Anjos in a failed bid for the UFC lightweight championship, Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone kicked off 2016 by moving up to welterweight. Over the course of the year, Donald Cerrone posted arguably the best 2016 out of anyone in the UFC. Cerrone not only went 4-0, but also finished all four opponents, going from unranked at welterweight to #5 on the UFC’s official rankings over the course of one calendar year.

Surprisingly, Donald Cerrone has gone over a month since his last fight without signing the contract for his next fight. While he has been looking for a title eliminator fight, Demian Maia is content to either wait for Robbie Lawler, or wait to fight the winner of UFC 209’s welterweight rematch between welterweight champion Tyron Woodley and #1 contender Stephen Thompson.

Donald Cerrone gave his thoughts on his next move in an interview with Fox Sports:

“I just care about keep on fighting. I know they’ve got the (Tyron) Woodley-(Stephen) Thompson fight coming in March. I wouldn’t mind getting a No. 1 contender fight in March also maybe on the same card and then fight the winner of those two,” Cerrone told FOX Sports.

“Just more about keep on fighting. I don’t want to sit and wait. I just like to stay busy.”

“Whoever, if I could fight in March. I know the title fight, they’re going to be fighting in March so we’ll have to get a No. 1 contender,” Cerrone said. “Hopefully, Demian Maia will (expletive) want to pull the trigger and not just keep waiting or Robbie (Lawler).

“Whoever’s above us. I don’t even care. I don’t (expletive) give a (expletive).”

While former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler has been out of action since losing the belt via 1st round KO at UFC 201, he was briefly linked to a fight with Cerrone, who says he is the only man to accept a fight with ‘Ruthless’:

“(Nick) Diaz turned Robbie down. (Expletive) Maia turned Robbie down. You know who didn’t turn (expletive) Robbie down? Me,” Cerrone said.

“I said (expletive) yeah, bring that (expletive) on. That name don’t scare me none. I love Robbie but (expletive) come on.”

on 1/21/2017.