Social media was buzzing on Friday when the news broke that UFC veterans Joe Lauzon and Donald Cerrone would touch gloves for the first time on April 30th. Both fighters have carved out their legacies without ever crossing paths, but the time has come, and Joe Lauzon is fired up.
Lauzon shared with MMA reporter, Maddie Levine, that the UFC was hoping to add this fight to UFC 272 on March 5th, but Lauzon had another idea.
“It’s been two years since I fought, and I’ve been wanting to fight, but if I am going to fight again, I’m not going to do it on five weeks’ notice…I’m going to do it the right way,” he said.
Lauzon and Cerrone are household names in the world of MMA, and with that, comes mutual respect for each other.
“(Cerrone is) a guy that I like, but he has very exciting fights, has fought just about everybody,” said Lauzon. “The stars never lined up, but now we do. It will be interesting to see how it goes.”
With over forty fights in the octagon, Lauzon’s drive to fight has evolved over the years. It’s not about climbing the ranks. It’s about fighting for the love of the sport.
“I really just enjoy training and fighting,” he said.
This match-up is lightning in a bottle. One fighter has the most wins in UFC history. The other has the most finishes in the lightweight division, and both men always come ready.
While Lauzon admits Cerrone may have the upper hand in striking, he is confident with his ground game and overall skill set.
“I probably have the advantage on the ground,” he said. “He’s a bit of a slow starter, I’m a fast starter. On paper, it’s a very exciting fight.”
The location for Cerrone vs. Lauzon has yet to be determined, but the date is locked in. Lauzon vs. Cerrone is a go for April 30th.