EXCLUSIVE | Mike Perry says Cowboy Cerrone asked JacksonWink not to train him

When two fighters train under the same roof are set to fight each other, there can often be some drama to follow. And this isn’t the first time we’ve seen that.

Ironically, we’ve seen it with JacksonWink MMA before in the past with perhaps the most famous case that took place between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans.

Now set to compete at UFC Denver are JacksonWink teammates once again in a somewhat similar situation as Mike Perry represents the new guy and Donald Cerrone the longtime staple.

In situations like this, it always creates an interesting dynamic training wise. Perry broke things down in his case with Cerrone when speaking on this week’s episode of BJ Penn Radio.

“Greg Jackson’s gonna be in his corner. I’ll have [Mike] Winkeljohn and coach Frank and I believe my coach from Florida, Julian Williams. And…he (Cerrone) doesn’t come in this gym. He did last time I was here…like twice the whole two months I was here, twice. And ya know, he stays at his ranch and works out there. But now, I guess he’s going on [the] Joe Rogan [Experience podcast] tomorrow and he might say some things about the gym and Winkeljohn…try to talk some trash.

I think he’s movin’ back to Denver. And like, none of this going on is the reason why. Like, he was just looking for a reason to act like it was something to push him to move over there. I don’t know him that well, but that’s the way it sounds to me.

If he’s goin’ to Denver now, cause he’s wanted to for some time…and he’s goin’ ahead and making that move because he ain’t got a bunch of people kissing his ass over here no more.”

Perry made the move to the New Mexico based gym prior to his last fight against Paul Felder which he would end up winning via unanimous decision.

And once getting his next fight with Cerrone made official, Perry says the tension in the gym only continued.

“I haven’t seen it first hand (the tension brewing). But I heard that he physically came here and asked them not to train me. For them not to allow me to come into the gym and to show him some respect even though…he hasn’t done anything for this gym in quite some time.”

UFC Denver takes place on November 10th and will be headlined by a featherweight showdown between former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and the returning ‘Korean Zombie’ Chan Sung Jung. Cerrone and Perry are expected to be the evening’s co-main event.

on 8/22/2018