Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone remains one of the most recognizable names in UFC history and during a recent appearance in an interview, Cerrone addressed the growing criticism surrounding the UFC and offered an explanation for what he believes is the root of the issue.
“I can tell you why,” Cerrone said. “It’s not a lot of heat. It’s just every weekend is a lot.”
Cerrone contrasted the current schedule with the early days of his career, when events were less frequent and anticipation had time to build among fans. According to him, the limited number of major shows made each one feel special and worth waiting for.
“I remember when I would compete, we were waiting for the next pay-per-view,” he said. “There’s only six a year. Well, they had the undercard matches, you know, the smaller shows, but you wanted to be on the big show and you wanted to be on the pay-per-view and everybody who bought a pay-per-view would wait for the next pay-per-view to save up and buy.”
Today, however, the UFC runs events nearly every weekend, and Cerrone believes that constant activity makes it harder for athletes to stand out or develop meaningful fan followings. In his view, the sheer volume of shows has diluted the sense of occasion that once defined the sport.
“Now it’s every weekend, right?” Cerrone said. “It’s tough. So it’s hard to build superstars. It’s hard to build guys that they can get behind because they don’t know, like every week, ‘Oh, you competed. Sorry I missed that. I didn’t see it.’ I think they’re just oversaturating the market.”
When the discussion shifted to the size of the UFC roster, currently estimated to be between 600 and 700 athletes under contract, Cerrone acknowledged that the promotion faces logistical pressure to keep athletes active and paid, which naturally leads to more frequent events.
“A lot of guys you got to pay,” he said, “but just a lot of guys that also have to compete. So that’s why it’s every weekend.”
Despite his criticisms, Cerrone made it clear that competition from rival promotions is ultimately healthy for the sport. He argued that having multiple organizations pushing each other helps maintain standards and keeps the industry evolving.
“Absolutely,” Cerrone said. “You can’t be the only competition, right? You have to… I think they’re good. They’re coming strong. You need the competition, man, to keep it. If not, it’s just a one world, you know?”
