Cowboy: Diaz brothers are awesome, we’d fight in the street
Cowboy: “I like those guys. I really do … If I were to run into the Diaz brothers out in the street, we’re f@$%ing throwing down. No question. That’s just who they are”
UFC lightweight contender Donald ‘Cowby’ Cerrone appeared recently on The Rogan Experience. ‘Cowboy’ discussed his loss to Nate Diaz at UFC 141 in 2011. Nate doubtless broke some cowboy code when he slapped Cerrone’s hat clear off his head at a pre-fight media event. Cerrone predicted the bad blood would motivate him.
“I fight good, pissed off,” said Cerrone at the time, as transcribed by David St. Martin for MMA Fighting. “When people piss me off, I like that. You wanna talk s— to me? You’re just going to enrage me and piss me off. So feed my f—ing flame. Let’s go, motherf—er.”
Instead Diaz won by 30–27, 30–27, and 29–28. An older, wiser Cerrone has since come to appreciate the Diaz brothers.
“The Diaz brothers have the most incredible following,” said Cerrone. “Almost as incredible as the Conor McGregor following. His cult is unbelievable. ‘He’ll beat your ass again.’ Well, bring his ass on because I’m ready whenever.”
“I’m not making any [excuses]. He got in my head. Absolutely. That s— don’t happen anymore. Everyone tells me, ‘Conor’s in your head. Dos Anjos is in your head.’ No the f— they’re not. It was a super lesson.
“I fought out of anger. I sucked that night. That’s all there is to it. No excuses. Mother f—er beat me.”
“As much as he talked, I like those guys. I really do, because there is no front on them at all. What you see is what you get. If I were to run into the Diaz brothers out in the street, we’re f—ing throwing down. No question. That’s just who they are. It’s not like they put on this big persona.
“That’s who they are 24/7. It’s awesome, to me. I’ve got nothing but respect for both of them. I’d have a drink with them right now. I don’t have any animosity or anger or hate toward either one of them. I’d hang out with both of them. It sucks that Nick is in trouble with this whole marijuana thing.”
Donald Cerrone fights Rafael dos Anjos at UFC on Fox 17 on Dec. 19 in Orlando, Florida.
