UFC 206's Donald Cerrone accepts Dana White's criticism: 'They were true facts'

TORONTO – Donald Cerrone doesn’t have much of an argument to throw back at Dana White after the UFC President recently made some critical remarks about “Cowboy.”

Cerrone (31-7 MMA, 18-4 UFC), who fights Matt Brown (20-15 MMA, 13-9 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 206 co-main event, was targeted by White after he was part of the recent public unveiling of the Mixed Martial Arts Athletes Association (MMAAA). White said he felt Cerrone should have contacted him before everything unfolded and added the fighter is in a good position for someone that doesn’t consistently headline UFC events and has never held a world title.

The two sides plan to meet during UFC 206 fight week to discuss the situation, but Cerrone isn’t going into the meeting with angry feelings, he said. In fact, Cerrone admitted he has minimal counterpoints to White’s comments.

“They were true facts,” Cerrone told MMAjunkie. “I’ve never held (a title). He’s just stating the facts. If the shoe fits, wear it. I can’t argue. I’ve never held a title. I’ve never really headlined cards – you got that, too. It’s not my fault. I’m trying, and I would love to win the title. It is what it is. He was gashing me, but not hard.

“My three things that I really, really want that I think the fight game needs, because I’m ending my career in three, four more years. I need some retirement. A pension. Some kind of health care. Those are three things I think the sport really needs so that’s what I’m looking for.”

Cerrone said his communication and resolution with White will take place behind closed doors. And, quite frankly, Cerrone has bigger fish to fry because the fight with Brown is just days away.

UFC 206 takes place at Air Canada Centre in Toronto. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass.

Having trained with Brown a few times in the past, the usually jovial Cerrone said he expected both sides to enter the octagon with no ill will toward each other. That may be the case on his end, but “The Immortal” clearly has very different feelings.

Brown unleashed a verbal assault on Cerrone’s character at UFC 206’s open workouts, also adding he surrounds himself with “yes men.” Cerrone said he’s puzzled by those comments and noted that Brown trains with many of the people he used to work with.

“It’s funny because all the ‘yes men’ I surround myself with are now his training camp, so how about that? How does that even work?” Cerrone asked. “I never thought we had a bad interaction, so I don’t know what he’s doing. Maybe it’s tactics, but I have no idea. I still like the guy. He fights hard, exciting fighter. It’s going to be one hell of a show. His back’s against the wall, so he’s coming hard.”

Cerrone will attempt to move to 4-0 since he moved to the UFC’s welterweight division earlier this year. Meanwhile, Brown brings a three-fight losing skid into the contest. Although he’s not specifically looking past his opponent, Cerrone does have one eye on the future, though, and that’s a spot on the UFC on FOX 23 card on Jan. 28 in Denver, possibly against an increasingly vocal Jorge Masvidal.

“Masvidal’s a good fighter– he’s doing a good job of trying to push this fight,” Cerrone said. “I’m 100 percent in.”

For more on UFC 206, check out the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.