Dana White: Donald Cerrone too injured to make up Robbie Lawler fight at UFC 214

The Donald Cerrone-Robbie Lawler fight scheduled for UFC 213 is off, but the plan is to make it again. It’ll just have to wait until at least after UFC 214.

UFC President Dana White told MMAjunkie today that Cerrone is dealing with staph infection and a pulled groin, which will prevent him from fighting in the July 8 UFC 213 pay-per-view event at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

“Here’s the deal. ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone is a stud. He’s too tough for his own good,” White said. “He absolutely wanted to fight. The kid’s got a pulled groin; he’s got a bruise from his knee to the inside of his groin. And his other knee is blowing up; he’s got staph infection.

“Could he come out and fight? Probably. Should he come out and fight Robbie Lawler with a pulled groin? No, he shouldn’t. We’re going to get him healthy and remake the fight.”

Asked if that could happen at UFC 214 on July 29 in Anaheim, which earlier reports indicated, White was clear that would not happen.

“No, it won’t be on Anaheim,” White said.

Cerrone, No. 11 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA welterweight rankings, is attempting to bounce back after losing by second-round TKO to Jorge Masvidal in January at UFC on FOX 23. Before that, Cerrone had won four in a row since moving up to welterweight after getting TKO’d by then-lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos in December 2015 at UFC on FOX 17.

Lawler, No. 3 in the rankings, has not fought since a devastating first-round knockout loss to Tyron Woodley at UFC 201, where he relinquished the welterweight belt. Before that, Lawler had been on a five-fight winning streak, including two title defenses after winning the belt from Johny Hendricks in December, 2014 at UFC 181.

For more on UFC 213, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.