Dana White on UFC Hall of Famer Donald Cerrone's desire to fight again: 'Love him, hate that'
LAS VEGAS – Dana White would rather UFC Hall of Famer Donald Cerrone didn’t come out of retirement.
Cerrone (36-17-2 MMA, 23-14-1 UFC) announced that he plans on competing two more times in the UFC to reach his 50-fight milestone under the Zuffa banner, including his time in WEC. White is a big fan of “Cowboy” but not a fan of his desire to fight again. If it’s about money, White is willing to work something out with Cerrone.
“I hate it,” White said after Dana White’s Contender Series 76 on Tuesday. “Love him, hate that. He retired. It’s just for what? What’s left to prove? If you want to make money, let’s figure something else out. I hate it. When guys retire, they retire for a reason. They retire because they know it’s over. I think that – not just this sport but any professional sport, it’s hard to walk away from. Not just the money, that’s obviously a very hard part of it, but the feeling of walking out of that tunnel, the feeling of getting in the cage, and the place is packed.
“Every time we’re at a show, when you show ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone on the screen, the place goes nuts. He’s beloved. He’s beloved because the guy goes to war, and he’s been in wars for years. It’s time to not go to war anymore, man. There’s nothing left to prove for him.”
Cerrone hung up his gloves in July 2022 after a submission loss to Jim Miller at UFC 276. The former title challenger was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2023.