Donald Cerrone has left a significant impact on the world of mixed martial arts. After his last outing at UFC 276, he announced his retirement from the sport.
However, his legacy in the UFC will live on as he was recently inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.
Despite having a successful career in mixed martial arts, Cerrone seems to be enjoying his retirement. In an interview following UFC on ESPN 43, he revealed that he’s “healthy, happy, and just enjoying a lot of time with the kids and growing up with my family, and chasing Hollywood.”
Although he sometimes wonders if he has one more left in him, he has no plans of returning to the octagon.
“I got my hair done so the hair’s growing in. Got on [PEDs] so I couldn’t come back even if I wanted to right now. I feel good. I’m healthy, happy, and just enjoying a lot of time with the kids and growing up with my family, and chasing Hollywood, which is a lot like starting from the very beginning and wanting to be a UFC fighter is how I feel. I just re-entered that realm again.”
During the same interview, Cerrone admitted that he doesn’t miss MMA but rather the camaraderie that comes with being a part of the MMA community. He also stated that it was time for him to retire and move on to his next mission – Hollywood. He retired with a professional MMA record of 36-17 (2).
Cerrone’s induction into the UFC Hall of Fame was a bit unexpected, considering he had retired less than a year ago. However, UFC President Dana White expressed his admiration for ‘Cowboy’ and what he meant to the sport. He was not only a great fighter but also a great human being, according to White.
Cerrone began his MMA career in 2006, and over the years, he compiled a record of 29-17 (2) across a 15-year run with the WEC and UFC. He was a former lightweight title challenger and competed in four UFC title bouts, although he was unsuccessful in all of them. However, he was known for his exciting style and willingness to take on any opponent.