Donald Cerrone facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Donald Cerrone |
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Cerrone in 2016
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| Born | Donald Anthony Cerrone March 29, 1983 Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
| Nickname(s) | Cowboy |
| Residence | Edgewood, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) |
| Weight | 170 lb (77 kg) |
| Division | Lightweight (2006–2015, 2019) Welterweight (2016–2018, 2020–2022) |
| Reach | 73 in (185 cm) |
| Style | Kickboxing |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Fighting out of | Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
| Team | Inyodo Martial Arts Club (2002–2006) Jackson Wink MMA Academy (2006–2018) BMF Ranch (2018–present) |
| Trainer | Greg Jackson (2006–2018) Joe Schilling (2018–present) |
| Rank | Black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Eliot Marshall |
| Years active | 2003 (boxing) 2005–2022 (MMA) |
| Professional boxing record | |
| Total | 1 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Losses | 1 |
| By knockout | 1 |
| Kickboxing record | |
| Total | 29 |
| Wins | 28 |
| By knockout | 19 |
| Losses | 0 |
| Draws | 1 |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 55 |
| Wins | 36 |
| By knockout | 10 |
| By submission | 17 |
| By decision | 9 |
| Losses | 17 |
| By knockout | 8 |
| By submission | 2 |
| By decision | 7 |
| No contests | 2 |
Donald Anthony Cerrone (born March 29, 1983), better known by his nickname "Cowboy", is a retired American professional mixed martial artist, kickboxer, and actor.
Cerrone was famous for being a very active fighter in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He fought in both the Lightweight and Welterweight divisions. Fans loved him because he was always ready to fight, competing 38 times in his 11 years with the UFC. In 2015, he fought for the UFC Lightweight title. For his exciting career, Cerrone was welcomed into the UFC Hall of Fame in July 2023.
Contents
Early Life and Start in Fighting
Donald Cerrone was born in Denver, Colorado. As a child, he was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder and had a lot of energy. He often got into fights, but his life changed when he went to live with his grandmother, Jerry Cerrone, at age 16. She was very supportive and helped him find a better path.
Cerrone started professional bull riding while in high school. When he was 20, a friend suggested he try kickboxing and later Muay Thai. He was very good at it and won several competitions. This success led him to start a career in mixed martial arts (MMA).
Mixed Martial Arts Career
Cerrone began his MMA journey in Colorado. In 2006, he moved to a famous gym in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he trained with some of the best fighters in the world, like Jon Jones and Georges St-Pierre.
World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC)
Cerrone quickly became a star in WEC. His first fight was originally a quick win, but the result was changed to a "no-contest" because he tested positive for a substance that was not allowed.
He went on to win his next two fights, earning a "Fight of the Night" award for his exciting match against Rob McCullough. This gave him a chance to fight for the WEC Lightweight Championship against Jamie Varner. Cerrone lost a close fight that was stopped early because of an accidental illegal knee.
After another win, Cerrone fought Benson Henderson for the Interim Lightweight Championship. He lost the fight but it was so exciting that it was named "Fight of the Year" by many experts. He later lost a rematch to Henderson for the main title. Before leaving WEC, Cerrone had memorable wins against Ed Ratcliff, Jamie Varner in a rematch, and Chris Horodecki.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)
In 2010, the WEC merged with the UFC, and all its fighters, including Cerrone, moved to the bigger organization.
Rise as a Lightweight Contender
Cerrone made a big impact in the UFC right away. He won his first four fights, earning special awards like "Fight of the Night," "Knockout of the Night," and "Submission of the Night." His winning streak was stopped by Nate Diaz in a thrilling fight that won "Fight of the Night."
After that loss, Cerrone continued to be one of the most active fighters. He had big wins over Jeremy Stephens and Melvin Guillard. From 2013 to 2015, Cerrone went on an amazing eight-fight winning streak. He defeated top fighters like Edson Barboza, Jim Miller, and former champion Eddie Alvarez.
This incredible run earned him a fight for the UFC Lightweight Championship against Rafael dos Anjos in December 2015. However, Cerrone lost the fight by TKO in the first round.
Success at Welterweight
After the title fight, Cerrone decided to move up to the welterweight division in 2016. He looked fantastic, winning his first four fights in his new weight class. He defeated Alex Oliveira, Patrick Côté, Rick Story, and Matt Brown, earning a "Performance of the Night" bonus for each victory.
He then faced a series of tough opponents, losing to future stars like Jorge Masvidal and Darren Till. In 2018, he bounced back with a big win over Mike Perry. With this victory, Cerrone set new UFC records for the most wins (21) and the most finishes (15) in the promotion's history.
Final Fights and Retirement
In 2019, Cerrone returned to the lightweight division. He won exciting fights against Alexander Hernandez and Al Iaquinta, earning more "Fight of the Night" bonuses. He then faced two of the toughest fighters in the division, Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje, losing both matches.
Cerrone returned to welterweight for a highly anticipated fight against Conor McGregor in January 2020, which he lost. After a few more tough fights, Cerrone faced Jim Miller at UFC 276 on July 2, 2022. After losing the fight, Cerrone announced his retirement from MMA in the octagon, ending an amazing career.
Life Outside of Fighting
Acting Career
Since 2017, Cerrone has appeared in several movies and TV shows. He had a role in the Netflix movie Spenser Confidential and a main role in the western film Terror on the Prairie. He has also been in TV shows like Godless and The Terminal List.
Personal Life
Cerrone and his wife, Lindsay, have three sons. He is known for his adventurous lifestyle and owns a property in Edgewood, New Mexico, called the BMF Ranch. He built an MMA gym there where other fighters can come to train with him.
Championships and Accomplishments
Cerrone is one of the most decorated fighters in MMA history.
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
- UFC Hall of Fame (Inducted in 2023)
- Most Post-Fight bonus awards in UFC/WEC history (23)
- Second most wins in UFC history (23)
- Third most finishes in UFC history (16)
- Most knockdowns in UFC history (20)
- Fight of the Night (Six times)
- Performance of the Night (Seven times)
- World Extreme Cagefighting
- Most Fight of the Night awards in WEC history (5)
See also
In Spanish: Donald Cerrone para niños
- List of male mixed martial artists
