Tag: UFC on ESPN+ 36

MMA Junkie Radio #3088: Colby Covington, Donald Cerrone, UFC on ESPN+ 36 preview, and more

Check out the latest edition of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze.”


Thursday’s episode of MMA Junkie Radio with hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here!

On Episode No. 3,088 of the podcast, the boys preview UFC on ESPN+ 36 with Colby Covington discussion, Donald Cerrone retirement discussion, and much more.

Stream or download this and all episodes of MMA Junkie Radio over at OmnyStudio. You can also catch it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and more. A new episode of the podcast is released every Monday and Thursday.

Skidding Donald Cerrone shuts down retirement talk: ‘I’m going to leave when I’m done’

Donald Cerrone is back in love with MMA and has no intention of retiring despite his four-fight losing skid ahead of UFC on ESPN+ 36.

[autotag]Donald Cerrone[/autotag] was caught off guard by the first question he received at UFC on ESPN+ 36 media day, but it ultimately allowed him to open up about where he currently stands in the sport.

Cerrone (36-15 MMA, 23-12 UFC) enters Saturday’s welterweight co-main event with Niko Price (14-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC), which takes place at UFC Apex in Las Vegas and streams on ESPN+, with a four-fight skid. It’s the longest run of losses in his career, and it’s prompted speculation about how much “Cowboy” has left.

The 37-year-old was asked about that possibility right away in his conversation with media members, and he said it’s been nowhere on his mind.

“Hell no,” Cerrone told reporters, including MMA Junkie, during Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN+ 36 virtual media day. “No. Not even in my train of thought. Wrong question.”

Cerrone is one of the most decorated fighters in UFC history, holding records in key categories such as wins, finishes, knockdowns and fight-night bonuses. Cerrone will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame one day, but he said that doesn’t necessarily make him feel comfortable.

Losses can’t go on forever, and Cerrone said he knows he’ll eventually have to get his hand raised inside the octagon. It’s his intention for that to happen against Price, though, and he hopes that affords him more time to fight more at the highest level before walking away on his own terms.

[lawrence-related id=552481,535713,527759]

“I would like to say yeah (UFC will keep me forever), but also on the same breath, how many – I don’t even want to think about losing again because it could happen,” Cerrone said. “I’ve trained my ass off, I’m ready to rock and roll. I’m planning on being here for a long time. I’m going to leave when I’m done. I don’t ever want the walking papers. When ‘Cowboy’s’ done fighting, I’m going to bend my hat and I’m going to say, ‘All right boys, I’ve had enough. I’m out.’ I don’t ever want to have them call my manger and release me, that would totally suck. I’m going to keep fighting my ass off.”

Cerrone said he’s done everything in his power to change his fortunes. After toning down sparring significantly for recent fights, Cerrone said he turned in a lot of hard rounds during this camp.

It’s done wonders for his phycology, Cerrone said, and he hopes it translates into his performance.

“I feel like this camp made me fall back in love with why I’m doing this,” Cerrone said. “For sure. Am I ready? Yeah. Are we going to see a new ‘Cowboy?’ No. Same old bad, nasty mother(expletive) you’ve seen for years, he’s just going to come out a little earlier. That’s all.”

Not only is this a meaningful fight for Cerrone in terms of wins and losses, but he said it’s important for him personally. Cerrone said he’s looking at this bout against Price with a selfish perspective, and while he’s got a family to support (which includes a newborn son), he said he’s drowning out everything outside of himself.

“All the naysayers, all those people who say, ‘You’ve lost four in a row, you don’t belong you should be retired’ – I don’t give a (expletive),” Cerrone said. “I don’t care if I need to prove anything, I don’t need to prove something. This one’s just for me. I get to look myself in the mirror Saturday morning and go like, ‘Let’s go, baby.’ This is for you. I get to have all the fun I want with no expectations, no must-wins, no must-dos. No nothing. Just fight my fight and do what I do and love every second of it and have fun and enjoy it. That’s how I’m going to be victorious no matter how the fight goes for me. There’s no wrong way this fight can go.”

[vertical-gallery id=330082]

Khamzat Chimaev will ‘go 100 percent to kill’ Gerald Meerschaert at UFC on ESPN+ 36

Khamzat Chimaev believes Gerald Meerschaert is overreacting to his double booking going into UFC on ESPN+ 36.

[autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag] believes [autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag] is overreacting to his double booking going into UFC on ESPN+ 36.

Chimaev (8-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) is in an extremely rare position in UFC history going into Saturday’s middleweight matchup with Meerschaert (30-13 MMA, 6-5 UFC), which takes place at UFC Apex in Las Vegas and streams on ESPN+. In addition to having this fight lined up, he is also booked to fight Demian Maia in October down at welterweight.

Meerschaert has taken disrespect from the situation, feeling that both Chimaev and the UFC brass are counting him out before even stepping in the octagon. Chimaev, however, doesn’t see it as a big deal.

“I don’t know why he’s disrespected,” Chimaev told reporters, including MMA Junkie, during Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN+ 36 virtual media day. “Amateur boxing people go with five or six fights. I go fight here and now after one month, but I did in 10 days two fights. I don’t know why he feels like this.”

Although Chimaev has shown a lack of emotion about everything in public, that apparently wasn’t the case when he saw Meerschaert in private. The pair ran into each other at the fighter hotel during fight week, and words were exchanged.

[lawrence-related id=552895,552759,550688]

Meerschaert gave his account of the moment when he spoke to media, and Chimaev’s story was slightly different.

“He speaks too much, he talks too much,” Chimaev said. “He say, ‘You disrespect me.’ I didn’t like that. I said, ‘I’m going to smash you, chicken.’ And he say nothing and I go from there.”

All the talk will be over when the two enter the octagon on Saturday, and Chimaev said he’s going to treat Meerschaert the same he has every other opponent in his career. With a lopsided finish.

“I’m better everywhere,” Chimaev said. “I’m better wrestling, I’m better grappling. I’m better in striking. No one going to stop me. … I don’t know what’s going to happen on Saturday night, but I’m going to go 100 percent to kill this guy. That’s what I know. With everything to finish him.'”

[vertical-gallery id=497631]

Gerald Meerschaert says Khamzat Chimaev and crew tried flexing on him at host hotel

Gerald Meerschaert didn’t like what Khamzat Chimaev had to say in hotel run-in.

[autotag]Gerald Meerschaert[/autotag] is not a fan of some of [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag]’s decisions ahead of their middleweight clash.

The seasoned veteran takes on the undefeated prospect in the main card of Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 36 in Las Vegas. Meerschaert (31-13 MMA, 6-5 UFC) has made it clear that he doesn’t like that Chimaev and the UFC have already planned a future bout with Demian Maia before seeing what goes down at UFC on ESPN+ 36 first.

Now, you can add to that list a run-in Meerschaert said the two competitors had at the UFC’s host hotel. Meerschaert said at the UFC on ESPN+ 36 media day that Chimaev tried to stir the pot when the two saw each other in person.

“We passed each other in the hallway very quick and he tried to, I think he was trying to talk trash with me,” Meerschaert said. “He just kept saying, ‘Don’t talk too much,’ and I was kind like, ‘Yeah, OK.’ We’re fighting Saturday so we’re not going to do anything now because I want to make money.

“I don’t know what his deal is and not only that, but I don’t think it’s a very cool thing to flex when you got all your friends with you and stuff. I had one guy with me and he had a bunch of guys with him. I get it, you don’t have to like me, I don’t have to like you, but let’s just save it for the cage.”

[lawrence-related id=552759,550688]

Either way, Meerschaert believes the encounter reaffirmed the notion Chimaev is in for a rude awakening on Saturday night, one which will spoil his future plans.

“It’s one thing if you name names for after, guys have done that before, or even that you want to fight really often and if you can get another one in two months, but he’s naming dates and names and he’s trying literally trying to set up his next few fights. That rubs me the wrong way.”

[vertical-gallery id=497631]