Donald Cerrone - Championship bound?
by NoeG_MMASaint on Dec 21, 2011 11:19 PM EST
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Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone has been on a serious run lately, he is the winner of his last 6 fights spanning back to WEC. He has a perfect 4-0 record in the UFC and is showing that he is a level above the competition he has faced. For someone as impressive as Donald Cerrone has been you have to start thinking title shot sooner or later. Now with the Light Weight Division is making some new moves as Champion Frankie Edgar finally closing the chapter on Gray Maynard, Ben Smooth Henderson is next to challenge the Lightweight Champ. That leaves Donald Cerrone's next match up with Nate Diaz looking like the next possible number one contender fight. Keeping in mind that we may see Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez make the jump to the UFC strait to the Lightweight Championship fight, but that has yet to be decided by the UFC and Dana White. Hypothetically speaking Donald Cerrone's upcoming fight with Nate Diaz could very well be the next number one contender fight for the Lightweight Championship. Lets just say it is for the sake of this post.
Now Donald Cowboy Cerrone has found him self Co-Headlining his very first UFC Event as he takes on Nate Diaz at UFC 141. Equally impressive is his opponent Nate Diaz who was Nick Diaz(Older Brother) like in his previous fight. His boxing looked 100 times better as he put Takanori Gomi down with his improved boxing and used his Cesear Gracie Jiu-Jitsu to put him away with an armbar. This is an interesting match up for Donald Cerrone because how much Nate Diaz improved his boxing. Cerrone is a high level Muay Thai Kickboxer and also a high level BJJ practitioner but so is Nate Diaz, and their skills are very evenly matched. However Cerrone's game has looked incredible lately finishing 3 out of his 4 fights in the UFC and winning with relative ease. Nate Diaz on the other hand did look impressive in his last fight but I'm not ready to say he could beat Donald Cerrone.
There is a little bad blood between Donald Cerrone and Nate Diaz, If you've got a chance to watch the UFC 141 trailer there was a scene were Donald Cerrone talked about going to shake Nate Diaz's hand and got instead of shaking it Diaz slapped it away. Incredibly disrespectful but he is a Diaz, just like his brother he's taking the fight just like a street fight and doesn't want to shake any hands. I think its just more fuel for Donald Cerrone to go out and beat Nate Diaz.
You could argue that this match between Cerrone and Diaz isn't even a possible Number 1 contender fight. I personally don't think it is but if you look at the rest of the division and where they are at right now Cerrone looks like he's next if he wins. He's looked the most impressive out of all the other Lightweights BESIDES one person. That person isn't even in the UFC yet, Gilbert Melendez. That is the only thing I see stopping Donald Cerrone from challenging for the Lightweight Championship. Not looking passed Nate Diaz but should Cerrone win and I think he will, I would say let Donald Cerrone and Gilbert Melendez fight for the Number 1 contender.
So back to the headline of this post Donald Cerrone Championship bound? Here's my prediction, Donald Cerrone beats Nate Diaz at UFC 141, Gilbert Melendez comes over to the UFC sometime between now and then, Cerrone then fights Gilbert Melendez and wins. Cerrone then fights either Frankie Edgar or Benson Henderson for the Lightweight championship does he win? I'm a believer!
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Wait, what did Nate Diaz improve? ;)
Fuck you, double fingers
- Nick Diaz
Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society
- Mark Twain
by TheLastEmpress on Dec 21, 2011 11:26 PM EST reply actions
His mean mugging
"You got Floyd Mayweather making 25 million dollars...he can't stop the double leg." - Nick Diaz
by Chris Groves on Dec 22, 2011 7:45 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Diaz' boxing has always been good IMO
he outboxed Marcus Davis (former pro boxer) and sent him down to lightweight if i remember correctly. both the Diaz brothers have good boxing and they always have. i like the comment Freddie Roach made about Nick Diaz that he doesn’t have a striker’s footwork. i think that’s somewhat true. both Diaz brothers tend to stand flat-footed and rain looping punches in high volume with little power. Nate has been able to showcase his boxing because he has long reach so he can stand on the outside and pick guys apart. that’s basically what happened in the Gomi fight, as Takanori couldn’t hit him with a fireball bc of the height and reach difference.
with Cerrone, he’s going to face a guy who has more range and more power with his kicks, and if he doesn’t circle properly Cerrone will be landing at will. i also think Cerrone has more power in his hands. he also has better wrestling. Diaz, however, is more active with his strikes, less diverse, but has better cardio and possibly bjj. i think this will be a standup fight because Cerrone likes to stand, he’ll be wary of Diaz’ guard and won’t look to take him down unless it’s at the end of a round to score points. Diaz won’t be able to take Cerrone down. i think it’ll be a matter of Diaz being able to take heavy leg and body kicks and Cerrone being able to take the volume of punches Diaz will throw. i think Cerrone will hurt Diaz and win by tko, but with the amout of skill both guys have no ending would surprise me.
by lordrubbish on Dec 22, 2011 12:07 PM EST up reply actions
I like that Analysis, Who do you think has the better Jiujitsu game?
by NoeG_MMASaint on Dec 22, 2011 12:33 PM EST up reply actions
probably Diaz
he has a brown belt under Cesar Gracie (which really means more than a lot of black belts), but credentials aside, i think his guard is trickier and more fluid. Cerrone might be more versatile, though, as he can work both from top and bottom positions. like Diaz, he has good armbars and triangles, but he also almost submitted Bendo with a d’arce or a guillotine and has shown he’s great at back control and rear-naked chokes against siver.
Cerrone has a better capacity to get and maintain a dominant position and also be a threat from all positions, which is important in ground fighting. but i think when it comes down to overall threat of being submitted, it goes to Nate. especially in this fight, i think Cerrone should avoid Nate’s guard. i’m not sure how good his submission defense is since he lost by guillotine in the Bendo rematch. it’s too bad this fight is happening so late in the year because it’s a FOTY candidate!
by lordrubbish on Dec 22, 2011 12:57 PM EST up reply actions
Also has a very good triangle choke and guillotine.
by discoandherpes on Dec 22, 2011 1:07 PM EST up reply actions
I could see it
Wouldn’t it be hilarious if Henderson wins and Cerron wins impressively and we see the end to the trilogy, but for the UFC belt this time? And if Bendo wins that and Pettis beats Lauzon…..
Its like we are back in 2010 come 2012. Amazing sport.
WEC NEVER DIE!!!
Trilogy match between Bendo and Cerrone, or even a rematch between Bendo and Pettis. Also the never made match up of Cerrone and Pettis. All this for the UFC belt. PLEASE LET THIS HAPPEN!
by GreyedOut on Dec 22, 2011 1:54 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Why are you counting Frankie out so fast?
Fuck you, double fingers
- Nick Diaz
Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society
- Mark Twain
by TheLastEmpress on Dec 22, 2011 11:18 AM EST up reply actions
Just fantasy match making man
It’s possible yes that Frankie could stop any of this from happening. But of all the champions, he seems like the most beatable. Or maybe Cruz, but I like Cruz so my opinion is skewed.
This isn't Cerrone's very first UFC event. It's his 5th.
And they all were in the 2011 calendar year, 2 of which were to replace Sam Stout.
Go get some, Donald Cerrone.
I have no idea
Please tell me what are the things that differentiate Nick and Nate Diaz? Is Nate very far from the level of Nick? For me its strange that he wants to be like his brother that much or its just genetic that they are so much alike? I hope for a great fight
I don't think Nate Diaz improved that much
I just think Gomi looked like utter shit.
by taptomyarmbar on Dec 22, 2011 2:49 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
that's a rec
gomi just kept spamming shoryuken
you get killed doing that shit
Henderson vs Cerrone 3 for the UFC title
"You got Floyd Mayweather making 25 million dollars...he can't stop the double leg." - Nick Diaz
Get ’em Don-ald Cer-ro-ne!
with fiery Dornish peppers
by Psychic Octopus on Dec 22, 2011 10:00 AM EST reply actions
I think the winner of Cerrone -Diaz will fight the winner of Miller-Guillard
for the right to challenge Frankie.
If I wake up tomorrow and see that the world has ended, then that means God has finally granted my prayers.
GO Armageddon!!!
Miller and Guillard just lost… they should win a few fights before challenging for a title.
Winner of Cerrone/Diaz should face the winner of Pettis/Lauzon… the winner of that fight would deserve a shot at the belt.
Kills some challengers
But yea I wouldn’t mind that. I think whoever is more sellable and has the most exciting fight will get it. Any one of them would have at least 2 wins back to back against decent competition. Pettis makes alot of sense if he wins nicely as does Bendo. All the other three would fight edgar.
a stretch, but
Cerrone/ Diaz vs. Etim/ Barboza for no.1 contendership. either way, Diaz/Cerrone will have to fight after their match because Edgar/ Bendo isn’t until next year. Edgar doesn’t fight all that often so they’ll have to either wait too long or take another fight. i know Etim just came back but he’s 5-1 in his last 6 and looked ridiculous against Faalaloto. he managed to outstrike and outgrapple the crap outta the guy in 17 seconds. impressive no matter who you’re fighting. Barboza has been on an impressive streak as well (though only 3-0), and if he beats Etim and goes on to beat the Cerrone/ Diaz winner, I think he’d be deserving of a shot.
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