Donald Cerrone & Alex Hernandez Go Off At UFC Brooklyn Presser
The gloves are already off for the featured
Obviously, ‘Cowboy’ is a record-setting veteran looking to make one final title run back at lightweight. Hernandez, meanwhile, is a surging prospect who has nothing to lose and everything to win by defeating a legend.
The two lightweights met in a heated exchange at today’s UFC on ESPN+ 1 press conference. The ball got rolling when Hernandez opened with his gratitude at Cerrone for accepting the fight. The niceties ended there, as he followed with a vicious barb at Cerrone’s character:
“Man, it’s everything it’s supposed to be. First, grateful to “Cowboy” for taking the fight, maybe against his better judgment. With that being said though, I’m not drawn in by promotion, the city, even his image or persona of anything.
“It’s just another day, and to me, standing across from “Cowboy,” I’m looking through the fighter, I’m looking at the man. I think the persona is just a big distraction. I just see myself facing an insecure little lad, swinging on a saddle with a pop gun and a feather in his hat.”
‘Cowboy’ Fires A Shot
Cerrone fired back with his own smack. At first he laughed off Hernandez’ insult and kept his focus on the fight:
“Yeah, little insecure, poppin’-fuckin’-cattle fuckin’ whatever, that’s good. I can’t wait for Saturday, man. But listen, my little friend, I’m not one to sit there and talk, so if you got big things to say, keep it professional. We just stood in the back, you didn’t have much to say, so, if you do…”
Hernandez then interrupted with another cowboy-themed barb:
“You didn’t have much to say either, partner. I’ll tell you this, little friend, I’ll be sending your geriatric a** f****n’ back to the stables on Saturday.”
Gloves Are Off For Cerrone
Cerrone apparently had enough by that point, claiming he had been mistakenly booked on the same floor as his rival. If Hernandez had something to say, Cerrone told him to knock on his door:
“I know you’re talking live, and Saturday’s coming, so let’s fight for money on Saturday, but I’m not the guy to sit here and talk s***
Hernandez refuted the notion, shifting focus to Cerrone’s supposed rough shape cutting down to lightweight:
“We’re not on the same floor. I’m in a different suite, for one. For two, you’re all buddy-buddy in the back, calling how healthy and nice. I do look f****n’ healthy, I look great.
“You look like you served the last two terms in the f****n’ Oval Office. You look worn out, you look aged and withered.”
And he didn’t stop there either. Hernandez made fun of Cerrone’s renewed title chase, saying he should have had the goal long ago. He then made another personal attack by claiming Cerrone had mistresses:
“On your 40th fight, if it took you that long to figure out what your goals are and that you’re meant to be a champion, you’re about 39 too (expletive) late,” Hernandez said. “For me, I know why I’m in this. I know my purpose. I know my mission, and I’m 100 percent committed to one thing.
“Unlike old day-drinking Don over there, who’s got mixed mistresses and a number of extracurricular activities to hide from the greatest fear in his life, which is in front of him, I focus on one thing and one thing only. I know I’m going to be a champion. He’s No. 2, he’s always going to be No. 2. I’m going to be No. 1.”
The tension is ripe for a very interesting lightweight bout in Brooklyn. It’s one where Hernandez could skyrocket into near title contention by
Throw the rankings out for this one, however. They’ve made it personal now, and those tend to be the best kinds of rivalries in MMA, like it or not.
