Cerrone does not need animosity to be at his best against Iaquinta

When Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone steps into the Octagon against Al Iaquinta in the main event of Fight Night Ottawa on May 4, the promotion’s first trip to Canada in 2019, expect to see two fighters known for their toughness try to finish each other violently.

What you should not expect is that either man will engage in the pre-fight theatrics that take place before many other MMA fights, not at least as far as Cerrone is concerned -  it’s just not his style.

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“There is no hostility; we were standing there interviewing next to each other,” Cerrone told the TSN MMA Show.  “I’m glad to see there are still some guys that have a little bit of integrity in this sport left, that there’s no need to get all puffing my chest out.  We’re fighting on May 4 and we’re going to get paid.”

However, just because there is no trash talk prior to the main event at Canadian Tire Centre does not mean that Cerrone will not be bringing his ‘A’ game with him when he makes the trip to the nation’s capital. He just doesn’t need anything extra to get into the fighting mood.

“I’m going to fight Al just as hard being his buddy as I would having hatred for him and I have zero hatred for him,” Cerrone said. “Like I said, he’s a stand up dude and he’s going to go out there and fight me just as hard. There is no need to make all this fake to try and sell the fight, the fight is going to sell itself.

“If you’re an MMA fan, you know we’re both going out there to throw down, so all you have to do is crack your beer, sit back and enjoy.”

As for who is to blame for the increase in trash talk in MMA, the 36-year-old points the finger at a fighter that he was briefly linked to as far as rumours for his next opponent were concerned.

“The ‘Conor Effect’ has resonated down to everyone and everyone is trying to do that,” said Cerrone.  “They think that’s the idol that they need to portray themselves after and mimic and it’s stupid and foolish.”

This is not Cerrone’s first UFC bout in Ottawa.  He defeated Canadian Patrick Cote via TKO in the co-main event of the Fight Night Ottawa event in June of 2016.  He also has a KO victory in Toronto over Matt Brown at UFC 206, but it’s a west-coast fight and venue that pops to the top of his mind when he thinks about fighting in Canada.

“Vagner Rocha (unanimous decision win at UFC 131) back in the day in Vancouver,” said Cerrone. “Vancouver is probably one of my favourite parts of Canada.”

While Cerrone now trains full time at his BMF Ranch and no longer is a part of the Jackson Wink MMA Academy, he continues to maintain a personal relationship with his former trainer Greg Jackson.

“We’re still close, I was just in Australia with him and I don’t have any ill feelings towards him,” said Cerrone.  “He’s still a good dude, I just don’t train with him anymore because he lost his backbone when it came time to pick me over all of what happened.”

Much of the reason why Cowboy has cut off his professional relationship with Jackson is due to a falling out with Jackson’s partner, Mike Winkeljohn, and Jackson’s decision to continue working with him.

“I was like, ‘Greg, I’ve been with you the longest, I moved here for you and then Winkeljohn just punked you out like that?’’ Cerrone said. “To me, if we’re as close as you say we are, you should put your foot down and stand up for that, I was more let down.”

Fighting anytime and anyplace has been a staple of the Cowboy experience and even as his career progresses, Cerrone is still focused on the things that he holds most important.

“I don’t wake up in the morning saying ‘I need the UFC title’,” said Cerrone.  “What I need to do is tomorrow, wake up and go live life, ride my Harley and my horses and hang out with my friends, that’s what I need to do.

“Fighting on May 4 is just what I’m going to do on May 4.”