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Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff Writer
Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone is coming out of retirement to seek a landmark 50 combined fights in the UFC and WEC, the 41-year-old said Tuesday.
Cerrone (36-17) retired with 48 combined appearances in the UFC and WEC, dating back to 2007. He retired in July 2022 in the midst of a six-fight skid, but has now stated he intends to come back for two more bouts. He will presumably need to reenter the UFC’s anti-drug program for a mandatory amount of time, although the UFC can waive that condition in special circumstances.
“I want to go back and get two more fights,” said Cerrone, in a video posted to Instagram. “When I retired, I told you I was getting my hair done and [I’d] get on steroids. The No. 50 [Zuffa] has been sitting on my mind for a while. So, I’ve been working with Transcend for the last two years, taking [testosterone-replacement therapy] and a bunch of peptides.
“Now, we’ve got a protocol for all you people that, ‘Oh, what if you get on it, you can’t ever come off it.’ Well, I now have to come off and piss clean, and fight in a few months. Watch this.”
Fighting out of his home gym in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Cerrone is one of the most popular fighters in UFC history. He is tied for second all-time in wins (23) and third in total appearances (38). Jim Miller, who is 1-1 against Cerrone in fights from 2014 and 2022, holds the record in each category with 26 wins and 44 appearances.
Cerrone mentioned 50 bouts specifically, but perhaps that is not the extent of his goals, as he also posted on Instagram, “most wins in UFC history, most finishes, most bonuses, most walks to that cage.”
Cerrone fought for the UFC lightweight championship once in 2015, coming up short against Rafael dos Anjos.