Donald Cerrone Says he “Couldn’t Get Fired up” For Disastrous, Conor McGregor Fight

Donald Cerrone has admitted in the past that he’s had trouble getting started in fights. But, chances are no one expected that would be the case, when he fought the biggest name in the game, Conor McGregor.

But, as Cerrone gets set to battle Anthony Pettis at UFC 249, recently he admitted that “Cowboy” didn’t show up for the UFC 246 headliner.

Cerrone says “Cowboy” didn’t show up to fight McGregor

If you’ve followed Cerrone over the years, you know one of the criticisms that have been levied at the rugged fighter, is that he’s often a slow starter or that he cracks in big fights. Cerrone has admitted that for some bouts, he’s had trouble kicking it into high gear.

Well, as you surely know, Cerrone faced McGregor this past January, in what was a highly, highly anticipated bout. Unfortunately for Cerrone and his fans, McGregor needed less than 60 seconds to take him out.

After the bout, plenty of people piled on Cerrone for how he had performed, particularly ESPN broadcaster, Stephen A. Smith. Others, however, rallied to Cerrone’s defense, and credited McGregor for how he finished the fight.

More recently, Cerrone spoke with ESPN, and while reflecting on his disastrous bout with McGregor, the star said this (quotes via MMA Junkie).

“Donald showed up, ‘Cowboy’ wasn’t there,” Cerrone said. “Wrong guy showed up. Couldn’t get going, couldn’t get excited, couldn’t get fired up.

Didn’t want to be there. Biggest fight, all the attention, my time to shine, I didn’t want to be there.

It was crazy, man. I don’t know why, I don’t know how, I don’t know how to change that but it sucks, man. Sometimes I’m ready, I’m fired up, I’m ready to go, sometimes I get there I’m like, ‘Man, I don’t want to be there,’ so don’t know, no idea.”

“Two days before the fight I was just like, ‘Ah man,’ It was just hard. But when I showed up there that morning it was like, ‘Man, (expletive),’ like I don’t. I just wasn’t feeling it.”

So, these comments will very likely spark more debate about that fight, and how Cerrone has struggled in other bouts as well. That aside, you have to admire him for being so transparent.

Cerrone says he was hurt right away

During the interview, Cerrone also revealed that he was hurt moments into his fight with McGregor. The latter came charging out, and when Cerrone looked to counter McGregor with a takedown, trouble quickly ensued.

“When he came at me and threw that big shot and I shot in, I hit his hip bone,” Cerrone said. “That’s what started the whole (thing).

Then I grabbed a hold of him, to get my bearings back, and he like did the jumping shoulder slam which compounded the fog in my brain, and then I let go and he head kicked me so it was just like, there was no time to re-group.

So it was from the first second of the fight, to when he ended it that I couldn’t even get my bearings back.”

Now it will be interesting to see how Cerrone does against Pettis, May 9th. Can he end his three-fight losing streak?