Donald Cerrone talks Jackson-Wink MMA's skid, '(expletive)' Cris Cyborg social media incident

Donald Cerrone is as surprised as anyone with the current octagon struggles of the famed Jackson-Wink MMA fight camp.

Following Holly Holm’s unanimous decision loss to Cris Cyborg in the UFC 219 main event six days ago, the trend of losses by the team based in Albuquerque, N.M., began to get some attention.

Over the past few months, the likes of Holm, Cub Swanson, Alistair Overeem, Michelle Waterson and Cerrone (32-10 MMA, 19-7 UFC) have fallen short in high-profile UFC fights. A handful of other names have lost inside the octagon, as well, marking a surprising run for a team widely regarded as one of the best in the world.

Although having ups and downs in the results category is a natural occurrence for all major gyms, Cerrone, who is currently on a career-worst three-fight losing skid after his knockout against Darren Till at UFC Fight Night 118 in October, said he’s not experienced anything similar in his long tenure with the team.

“It’s just wild,” Cerrone told the “UFC Unfiltered” podcast with Matt Serra and Jim Norton. “I mean, (expletive), it’s not a thing that’s the norm. When we step in there we’ve been a pretty successful squad, but lately we’ve had a bit of trouble. Look at me, I’m (expletive) three losses. The first I’ve had ever. It’s (expletive), I don’t know what the (expletive) is going on.”

The narrative around Jackson-Wink MMA’s struggles comes at a time where the team is under the spotlight for some disturbing reasons. Following Holm’s loss to UFC featherweight champ Cyborg at UFC 219, the team’s official photographer made some disparaging remarks on social media about the Brazilian, calling her a man on Instagram.

Since the incident, the Jackson-Wink MMA photographer has been publicly scrutinized, banned from receiving credentials from UFC events, and subsequently made a public apology to Cyborg. Cerrone was not pleased about the situation, and even felt it necessary to post about it on social media (via Instagram):

TEAM! I have been a part of @gregjacksonmma before my first WEC fight. The recent comments made by their social media team don’t represent the team that I know, love and fight for.

A post shared by Donald Cerrone (@cowboycerrone) on Jan 1, 2018 at 7:08pm PST

TEAM! I have been a part of @gregjacksonmma before my first WEC fight. The recent comments made by their social media team don’t represent the team that I know, love and fight for.

Cerrone explained why he felt it was necessary to comment on the situation and reiterated that he does not condone what happened.

“I know (Cyborg), but regardless of who it was – like if somebody wants to go say that, do it on your own time,” Cerrone said. “You’re not the (expletive) media person for one of the largest MMA schools in the country and then (expletive) start talking like a total (expletive) jackass, you know what I mean? That was my take off that.”

Cerrone returns to the octagon Feb. 18 when he meets Yancy Medeiros (15-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) in the main event of UFC Fight Night 126, which takes place at Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas, and airs on FS1 following early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.

For more on UFC Fight Night 126, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.