Tag: Joe Lauzon

Joe Lauzon ‘really, really tried’ for potential last fight at UFC 292 in Boston: ‘I was told my services were not needed’

The last time Joe Lauzon competed was a 2019 win in Boston. Friday, he revealed he was denied a potential retirement bout at UFC 292.

BOSTON – Saturday’s UFC 292 marks the seventh card the promotion has held in Boston, but it is the first of the bunch without a single New England representative competing.

Among the local fighters watching the event as a fan will be lightweight [autotag]Joe Lauzon[/autotag], who has not competed since 2019, but remains open to another fight or two should a prime opportunity present itself.

At a Q&A held Friday at TD Garden prior to ceremonial faceoffs, Lauzon (28-15 MMA, 15-12 UFC) confirmed, as reported previously by MMA Junkie, he saw UFC 292 as an event that excited him and attempted to get on the card, but was turned down. He added he also requested a specific opponent.

“I tried. I tried. It didn’t work out,” Lauzon said. “… I texted many, many times. I was told my services were not needed. … I would’ve fought whoever, but I really wanted to fight [autotag]Chase Hooper[/autotag]. He had just beat Nick Fiore, who is another local guy. I feel like it’d be a really good matchup for me. It could’ve maybe been the last one, but it just didn’t come together. I tried. I really, really tried, but it didn’t work out.”

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Lauzon, 39, has the longest continuous tenure of any fighter on the promotion’s current roster. Since his promotional debut at UFC 93 in 2006, Lauzon has competed 27 times under the promotion’s banner. He is fourth all-time in performance bonuses, with 15 total.

Since his most recent in-cage competition nearly four years ago, Lauzon was booked three times – all against the same opponent, Donald Cerrone. However, the bout was postponed once and canceled twice, and Cerrone eventually retired.

The owner of a successful Massachusetts gym that bears his name, Lauzon said he is not dependent on fighting, but also isn’t closing the door on competition either.

“I don’t need to fight, so whatever makes sense,” Lauzon said. “If the location, the date, the opponent, if it all makes sense, I’m 100 percent down to fight again. But my gym is doing great. I don’t need to fight. It’s one of those things I really like doing. If it makes sense, I’m down (and) I’ll do it again. If we’re done, we’re done. It doesn’t matter. We’ll see.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 292.

Iron men: The 12 longest-tenured UFC fighters on the current roster

It’s tough to stay in the UFC, never mind for nearly a decade or longer, but these dozen fighters have defied the tests of time.

Two of the longest-tenured fighters, Ed Herman and Clay Guida, step into the cage Saturday at UFC on ESPN 44 after nearly two decades with the promotion.

The majority of UFC fighters don’t last a decade under the promotion’s banner. It’s a difficult feat, but a handful of athletes on the roster have done that. In fact, some are even nearing the 17-year mark.

Some fighters have defied the odds and Father Time in their journey through the world’s top MMA organization. While some of these decade-plus fighters have earned or fought for titles, others have never reached that peak but have figured out how to evolve enough to stay put on the promotion’s roster.

Scroll below to see the 12 longest-tenured fighters on the promotion’s roster.

It’s important to note: This list is based on continuous tenure with the promotion. Fighters who left the promotion, competed elsewhere, and came back are only eligible from the point in which they kicked off their current UFC stint.

Additionally, the fighters need to be on the promotion’s active roster. Fighters who have retired, but the UFC still have the rights to, are ineligible.

The “tenure” is considered to start the date of the first fight of the stint, not at the point of contract signing.

15 best fight bookings of 2022 that got away due to injuries, weight issues, and more

Check out these highly anticipated matchups in 2022 that fell through due to various issues outside of the cage.

Fight bookings throughout 2022 were not ravaged by COVID-19 like the year before, but a number of key matchups still never made it to the cage.

Unfortunate injuries occurred in training camp, and in two instances, after weigh-ins, leading to last-minute scheduling changes and late bout scratches.

From entertaining veteran matchups to top contender bouts and title fight rematches, MMA lost some incredible fights this year due to various reasons.

Take a look below at some of the biggest pairings and why they did not go ahead as planned (in order of scheduled date).

Joe Lauzon gives update on knee after ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone cancellation – and the video that made it work again

For the second time in six weeks, a matchup between two of the UFC’s most longstanding fighters was scrapped on the day of the fight.

For the second time in six weeks, a highly anticipated matchup between two of the UFC’s most longstanding fighters was scrapped on the day of the fight.

In May, Donald Cerrone (36-16 MMA, 23-13 UFC) was ruled out of his fight with [autotag]Joe Lauzon[/autotag] (28-15 MMA, 15-12 UFC) on the day of the bout at UFC 274 when he was sick with a stomach ailment. Saturday, at UFC on ESPN 37, the tables turned and Lauzon was pulled on fight day when he his knee popped out of socket and he couldn’t get it back in.

The fight was set to be the co-main event in Austin, Texas. Now pulled for a second time, UFC president Dana White is doubtful the promotion will book the two again for later.

Late Saturday, Lauzon posted an update to Instagram and said a video someone sent to him showed him how to get his knee back in place.

“So you can’t make this up, but my knee works again,” Lauzon said in the video. “Someone sent me a video … on Instagram about, like, ‘This sounds like a thing I do with my knee. You should check out this video.’ It was 100 percent – everything was exactly the problem I was having.

“It’s called a ‘tib-fib’ dislocation. Basically, the bones in my leg were dislocated. That’s why we couldn’t get it back. So I did the exercise in the video, and it popped back in. It’s insane. My leg fully works.”

But by the time Lauzon saw the video and the remedy worked for him, the fight already had been canceled and there was no turning back.

Lauzon said he appeared to be fully functional and tried to get the UFC to put the fight back on, but that ship already had sailed.

“… I literally could not put socks on,” Lauzon said. “I couldn’t lift my foot off the bed. I couldn’t stand. I couldn’t put any weight on it. I couldn’t do anything the last day and a half. I couldn’t even hobble on one foot because I couldn’t take my foot shaking. It was horrible. I wish I had this video yesterday or this morning before the fight got called off.

“We contacted the UFC (and) we tried to make it – see if ‘Cowboy’ was still around and we could still fight, but it was too late. … The UFC said we couldn’t do it. It sucks. I’m sorry to everyone – again, this whole entire situation super sucks. I don’t know what’s going to happen. We’ll see.”

https://www.instagram.com/tv/Ce93rKOrhfN

Lauzon may not know what’s going to happen, but his boss does – at least as far as a matchup with Cerrone goes.

“That thing is getting like Tony (Ferguson) and Khabib (Nurmagomedov),” White told MMA Junkie at the post-fight news conference. “No, I will not book that fight again.”

Lauzon snapped a three-fight skid in October 2019 with a first-round TKO against Jonathan Pearce at UFC on ESPN 6. But he hasn’t fought since then in the longest inactive stretch of his career.

Cerrone is mired in a five-fight skid and hasn’t won since May 2019. He has said when he hits 50 combined fights in the WEC and UFC, he’ll retire. The Lauzon fight would’ve been his 48th walk to the cage in the two promotions combined. White said Cerrone doesn’t want to fight in July after just cutting weight for the Lauzon fight that now may never happen. So the UFC, White said, will “figure something else out with him.”

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Dana White says UFC won’t book Donald Cerrone vs. Joe Lauzon again: ‘This thing is getting like Tony and Khabib’

“No,” Dana White said definitively at the UFC on ESPN 37 post-fight news conference.

AUSTIN, Texas – Fans itching to see [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Joe Lauzon[/autotag] will likely be disappointed.

The highly-anticipated bout between the two lightweight veterans won’t get a third booking after multiple fight-day cancellations. Cerrone (36-16 MMA, 23-13 UFC) and Lauzon (28-15 MMA, 15-12 UFC) were scheduled to compete Saturday in the co-main event of UFC on ESPN 37. However, Lauzon was forced to withdraw from the bout as his left knee locked up on him after official weigh-ins, rendering him unable to walk.

This was the second time the bout had to be cancelled. They were originally scheduled to fight at UFC 274 in May, but Cerrone fell ill the morning of fight day due to suspected food poisoning.

It seems UFC president [autotag]Dana White[/autotag] has seen enough and will move on from the fight.

“That thing is getting like Tony (Ferguson) and Khabib (Nurmagomedov),” White told MMA Junkie and other reporters at the UFC on ESPN 37 post-fight news conference. “No, I will not book that fight again.”

Ferguson vs. Nurmagomedov, of course, is one of the most notorious “not meant to be” fights in UFC history. The two fighters were matched up five times – and five times the fight fell through. Ultimately, it never ended up happening.

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Lauzon revealed after Saturday’s cancellation he potentially has a dislocation on his knee. It’s uncertain the exact nature of his injury and his return to the octagon is unknown.

But as far as Cerrone, the UFC is already discussing options and looking to get him a fight in the coming months. Cerrone attended the event Saturday as a fan. One thing is for certain, Cerrone is not looking for a quick turnaround and won’t fight in July.

“He just cut that weight yesterday,” White said. “We sit, and we wanted to see if he wanted to fight in July, but he doesn’t want to cut weight again, so he won’t fight in July. We’ll figure something else out with him.”

Cerrone, who shares the record for most wins in UFC history, looked to snap the worst losing skid of his career. The 39-year-old is on a six-fight winless stretch that includes five losses (four by finish) and a no contest. Cerrone’s most recent win came in May 2019 when he dominated Al Iaquinta for a unanimous decision.

Lauzon was looking to return for his first fight since an October 2019 first-round TKO of Jonathan Pearce in front of his hometown Boston crowd.

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Joe Lauzon injured, fight at UFC on ESPN 37 vs. Donald Cerrone off again

The fight between UFC lightweight veterans has fallen apart again just hours before the event in Austin, Texas.

AUSTIN – Once again, the bout between [autotag]Joe Lauzon[/autotag] and [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag] will not take place.

The lightweight bout initially scheduled to take place a month ago at UFC 274 has once again fallen apart just hours before the second attempt at making the fight happen at UFC on ESPN 37. The first booking was scrapped due to Cerrone becoming ill on fight day. This time, Lauzon’s left knee locked up on him after official weigh-ins on Friday.

MMA Junkie confirmed the news following an initial report from Ariel Helwani.

Lauzon also explained the situation on his fight week vlog.

“So, I’m not fighting Cowboy Cerrone tonight,” Lauzon said in a video posted to Instagram. “The freakiest, weirdest thing ever. I weigh in officially, everything’s fine, I go to sit down in the chairs where all the fighters are, and I go to put my socks on. … I turn my knee out, and my knee locks up.”

https://www.instagram.com/tv/Ce9BIsPP8DG/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

UFC on ESPN 37 which is headlined by a featherweight matchup between Calvin Kattar and Josh Emmett will proceed with 13 total fights. The event takes place at the Moody Center, with the main card airing on ESPN/ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN2/ESPN+.

UFC on ESPN 37: Donald Cerrone vs. Joe Lauzon odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 37 odds and lines between Donald Cerrone vs. Joe Lauzon, with MMA picks, tips and predictions.

In a lightweight bout on the main card, Donald Cerrone and Joe Lauzon meet Saturday at UFC on ESPN 37 at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. Below, we analyze the UFC on ESPN 37 Cerrone vs. Lauzon odds and lines, with picks and predictions.

The fights can be viewed on ESPN/ESPN+ with the prelims on ESPN/ESPN+ at 4 p.m. ET and the main card at 7 p.m. ET.

Cerrone, a.k.a. “Cowboy”, steps into the octagon with an 0-5-1 skid in tow. The 39-year-old veteran was knocked out in the 1st round by Alex Morono last time out in May 2021, a fight which came on the heels of a no contest against Niko Price in Sept. 2020. His last victory came in May 2019 against Al Iaquinta in a unanimous-decision win.

Two of his last 3 fights went the distance, although 4 of his past 6 have resulted in him losing via KO/TKO stoppage.

Lauzon would like to add to the woes of Cerrone. “J-Lau” is coming off a 1st-round knockout win over Jonathan Pearce last time out in Oct. 2019, making this a return from a 32-month hiatus. This fight was scheduled for late April but canceled for undisclosed reasons. It was then rescheduled for UFC 274 but wiped out with Cowboy dealing with what is believed to be food poisoning.

Watch this card with ESPN+ by signing up here.

UFC on ESPN 37 Cerrone vs. Lauzon odds and lines

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:30 a.m. ET.

  • Fight result (2-way line): Cerrone -170 (bet $170 to win $100) | Lauzon +133 (bet $100 to win $133)
  • Total Rounds Over 1.5 (-140) | Under 1.5 (+102)
  • Will the fight go the distance? Yes (+165) | No (-240)

[tipico]

UFC on ESPN 37 Cerrone vs. Lauzon picks and predictions

Records: Cerrone (36-16-0) | Lauzon (28-16-0)

Fight result (2-way line or money line)

Cerrone heads into this one on a major skid, and LAUZON (+133) could potentially be rusty, as he has just one fight under his belt since April 2018. UFC CEO Dana White suggested that the loser of this fight lay down his gloves in the octagon similar to Joanna Jedrzejczyk last weekend.

Lauzon has been stuck in neutral for the majority of his career. He has managed to win just 11 of his past 22 fights, but it’s often a lot of fun. He gets plenty of knockout wins and losses, and you can expect that’s going to be the case again here.

Play LAUZON BY TKO/KO (+350) on method of victory for a chance to nearly quadruple up on your initial wager.

Over/Under (O/U)

OVER 1.5 ROUNDS (-140) is the way to go, as both veterans are experienced and proud and have waited a long time to face each other. I don’t believe this goes the distance, as none of Lauzon’s last 3 fights has gone the distance, and with Cowboy involved in stoppages in 4 of his last 6 outings.

Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis.

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Photos: UFC on ESPN 37 official weigh-ins

Check out these photos from the official weigh-ins in Austin, Texas.

Check out these photos from the official weigh-ins for UFC on ESPN 37 in Austin, Texas. (Photos by Matthew Wells, MMA Junkie)

UFC on ESPN 37 pre-event facts: ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone can be first with two dozen octagon wins

Check out the numbers behind Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 37, where Donald Cerrone can retake sole possession of most wins in UFC history.

The UFC makes its return to Austin, Texas for the first time since February 2018 on Saturday with UFC on ESPN 37, which takes place at Moody Center with a main card that airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPNNews.

A marquee featherweight matchup takes center in stage in the main event. Ranked contenders [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag] (23-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) and [autotag]Josh Emmett[/autotag] (17-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) will meet in a clash that will help elevate the winner toward his first UFC title shot.

The co-headliner, meanwhile, will see a pair of lightweight legends face off. [autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag] (36-16 MMA, 23-13 UFC) and [autotag]Joe Lauzon[/autotag] (28-15 MMA, 15-12 UFC) finally get their chance to scrap after a fight-day cancellation at UFC 274 in April.

For more on the numbers behind a solid lineup, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts about UFC on ESPN 37.

Joe Lauzon reveals compensation for last-minute UFC 274 cancelation vs. Donald Cerrone

UFC veteran Joe Lauzon revealed how he was compensated for the fight against Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone that fell apart on the day of UFC 274.

[autotag]Joe Lauzon[/autotag] fulfilled all of his UFC 274 pre-fight obligations to step into the cage, but at the last minute, his opponent Donald Cerrone was unable to compete.

When a fight gets canceled hours before the scheduled time, the focus turns to sort out what portion of their purse, if anything, the fighter that was ready to compete will receive. Cerrone (36-16 MMA, 23-13 UFC) came down with a non-COVID-related illness on the day of the fight, thus forcing the bout to be scrapped at the last minute. The announcement was made during the early prelims of the pay-per-view event, leaving Lauzon (28-15 MMA, 15-12 UFC) without an opportunity to compete on the main card in what could have been one of the final fights of his lengthy professional career.

Ultimately, Lauzon was compensated but did not receive his full show and win money for the last-minute cancelation. Speaking with MMA Junkie Radio, Lauzon explained the situation and why he was happy with what he received.

“So, if the fight didn’t happen, I would have pressed very, very aggressively to get my win money,” Lauzon told MMA Junkie Radio. “But they rescheduled the fight six weeks later. They gave me my show money, I got my Venum money, so I got that. If they rescheduled for six weeks later, I was OK with that because I started thinking about it: If he pulled out on Tuesday, I get zero.”

UFC 274 took place in Phoenix, and the Arizona Boxing & MMA Commission does not reveal official fight purse figures to the public. Lauzon also did not disclose the specific amount he received for his show money. Based on the UFC Promotional Guidelines tiers, he would have received $21,000 in Venum pay for an athlete with over 21 fights with the promotion, which is the highest tier for a non-champion or title challenger.

“I made weight, I got my show money, and we’re gonna get our show money and everything again, so I’m okay with it. If the fight didn’t happen, I would have very aggressively pushed to get my win money. But, if it’s gonna happen, then I’m OK with just getting show. …It’s the way it goes, I understand. Cowboy has never pulled out of a fight before, I don’t think.”

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The fight has since been rescheduled for UFC on ESPN 37 in Austin, Texas on June 18. While Lauzon is happy to keep the fight together a few weeks down the road, he can’t help but wonder what could have happened at the pay-per-view event had the fight gone as scheduled.

“It could have easily been a double bonus. We could have got Fight of the Night and then I could have got like a spectacular finish. Could have easily been an extra $100,000 in bonuses, but it didn’t happen. So, we’re not gonna worry about it. We’re gonna focus on June 18 and maybe – I don’t want any more Fight of the Nights. We’ll take the performance bonuses, we don’t need Fight of the Nights. We’ll just keep all my blood inside, not have to go the E.R. would be nice.”