UFC on FOX 11's 'Cowboy' Cerrone sticking with no-frills style that got him here

In a day and age where MMA fighters will do almost anything to gain an edge over an opponent, UFC lightweight Donald Cerrone is sticking to what he knows best.

Many fighters watch film for hours studying the techniques and tendencies of an upcoming foe, but “Cowboy” admits he doesn’t tailor his strategies to a specific opponent, that includes his UFC on FOX 11 foe Edson Barboza.

“I won’t watch anything on Baboza,” Cerrone told MMAjunkie. “I just don’t really like to worry about what he’s going to be doing. I’m just worried about what I’m going to be doing. It’s just that.”

There have been a few hurdles when it comes to Cerrone’s approach, but more often than not he winds up with his hand raised at the end of a fight. The most recent example of that came this past month when he knocked out the unheralded Adriano Martins, a fighter Cerrone claimed he knew little about both before and after the fight.

Not many fighters who hold a top 10 ranking in the sport are willing to accept matchups with anyone at any time. Cerrone, though, is one of the few who will, and so far the results have been mostly positive.

“Who I fight, I don’t care,” Cerrone said. “I just ask (UFC matchmaker) Joe (Silva) to give me a date and I’ll be ready.”

Cerrone (22-6 MMA, 9-3 UFC) requested a quick turnaround following his knockout of Martins at UFC on FOX 10 in Chicago. His wish was granted in the form of another network-televised contest against Barboza (13-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC).

Going from an unranked fighter with one UFC bout to a fighter like Barboza, who has just one loss in eight UFC appearances, is a much more meaningful fight for Cerrone. However, he won’t prepare for the fight any differently than the last.

Cerrone’s carefree attitude translates to meaningful results in the cage as he doesn’t just win, but he wins with style. If Cerrone is on a card, more often than not he’ll be a top candidate for one of the UFC’s valuable fight-night bonuses.

Having received more than $500,000 in performance bonuses during his Zuffa tenure has made Cerrone famous for being one of the most exciting fights on the UFC roster. Some athletes care about getting the win and nothing more, but in Cerrone’s case he prides himself on creating jaw-dropping moments for spectators.

“I try to have a fighting style that’s straightforward – don’t back down and don’t back up,” Cerrone said. “That’s what people want to see. Being exciting is what pays the bills, so I try to be.”

While the fight with Barboza is important when it comes to the championship aspirations of both fighters, Cerrone has much broader goals than just winning his upcoming fight.

As he’s previously said, Cerrone hopes to step inside the octagon six times before the year comes to an end. That’s a lofty goal for the 30-year-old, but one he believes is entirely realistic should he dispatch of Barboza without suffering any injuries.

“As far as the UFC and if it can happen, I have no idea,” Cerrone said. “I get through Barboza, and I should be able to make it happen.”

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