Donald Cerrone

Cerrone's final MMA appearance ended at UFC 276 when Jim Miller caught a second-round guillotine choke. Cerrone announced his retirement in the Octagon afterward, closing a 55-fight MMA record and one of the UFC's busiest careers.

Key moments

• Submitted by Miller via guillotine choke at 1:32 of round two.
• Announced his retirement after the fight at UFC 276.
• The bout closed a professional MMA run that began in 2006.

Cerrone returned at welterweight against Alex Morono and was overwhelmed late in the first round. Morono hurt him with punches against the fence and forced the stoppage at 4:40, extending Cerrone's late-career winless run.

Key moments

• Morono stopped him with punches at 4:40 of round one.
• The fight was held at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
• Cerrone had been scheduled for other 2021 bookings before landing opposite Morono.

Cerrone and Niko Price originally fought to a majority draw after Price lost a point for repeated eye pokes. The result was later changed to a no contest when Price tested positive for marijuana, leaving the official record as an NC.

Key moments

• Price was deducted a point in round one for repeated eye pokes.
• The cage result was a majority draw after three rounds.
• The result was overturned to a no contest after Price's marijuana test.

The second Pettis fight went the distance on the UFC 249 card in Jacksonville. Cerrone had moments in a competitive rematch, but Pettis took a unanimous decision across three rounds.

Key moments

• Three-round rematch with Pettis at UFC 249.
• Pettis won by unanimous decision.
• The loss followed Cerrone's quick UFC 246 defeat to McGregor.

Cerrone met McGregor in the UFC 246 welterweight main event and never got time to settle. McGregor opened with shoulder strikes in the clinch, followed with a head kick and punches, and stopped Cerrone 40 seconds into round one.

Key moments

• Headlined UFC 246 at welterweight against McGregor.
• Shoulder strikes and a head kick created the finishing sequence.
• Official stoppage came at 0:40 of round one.

Cerrone had some early success with his jab, body kicks, and teep against Gaethje, but the margin for error in that matchup was tiny and it disappeared late in the first round. Once Gaethje started timing the entries with hooks and uppercuts, Cerrone was dropped and finished in a violent closing sequence.

Key moments

• MMA Fighting's live coverage described Cerrone as effective early with the jab, a 1-2, and body kicks while trying to manage Gaethje's pressure at range.
• Gaethje kept hammering the lead leg and walked through shots often enough to stay in punching range.
• Late in the round, a counter right from Gaethje dropped Cerrone to his knees before the follow-up punches forced the stoppage.
• The official finish came at 4:18 of round one, and even the immediate reactions centered on whether the stoppage was late or early rather than on the result itself.

Cerrone was in a wild, competitive fight with Ferguson before the official result turned on damage rather than a clean knockdown. He had strong moments in the first round and landed enough to make it a real fight, but Ferguson's pace and body work took over, and the swelling around Cerrone's eye ended it between rounds.

Key moments

• MMA Fighting scored the opening round for Cerrone after he hurt Ferguson late with a left hand, landed a head kick, and repeatedly found counters in the pocket.
• Ferguson changed the tempo in round two by attacking the body, piling up jabs and elbows, and forcing Cerrone backward.
• A right hand from Ferguson landed after the horn at the end of the second round, adding to the damage around Cerrone's face.
• Cerrone blew his nose before round three, his right eye swelled shut, and the doctor stoppage made the official result a TKO for Ferguson at 5:00 of round two.

Cerrone needed a round to settle, then turned the Ottawa main event into one of the better late-career five-round performances of his UFC run. After a competitive start, his jab-kick game, body work, and repeated head-kick threats took over and left Iaquinta bloodied, dropped, and chasing the fight for long stretches.

Key moments

• MMA Fighting's post-fight coverage described the first round as fairly even before Cerrone battered and bloodied Iaquinta over the final four rounds.
• Their live blog noted Cerrone's steady jab-to-leg-kick work early, then a switch kick and a perfectly timed jab that dumped Iaquinta late in round three.
• Round four featured two straight kicks to the jaw that dropped Iaquinta again, with Cerrone pressing hard for the finish once he smelled blood.
• Cerrone closed the fifth with another head kick, a flying-knee threat, and a swarm of punches on the way to scores of 49-45, 49-45, and 49-46.

Cerrone's return to lightweight against Hernandez looked like a veteran performance built on composure and attritional damage before it became a highlight finish. He consistently won the cleaner exchanges, cut Hernandez up with kicks, elbows, and knees, and then ended the fight once the younger man could no longer absorb the punishment.

Key moments

• UFC's own recap said Cerrone kept the pressure on in round two with knees and body kicks before punching upstairs, never letting Hernandez get comfortable.
• MMA Fighting's live coverage had Cerrone taking over most of the first-round exchanges, opening swelling and blood around Hernandez's eye with head kicks, elbows, and sharp combinations.
• When Hernandez tried to force wrestling exchanges in round two, Cerrone punished him in the clinch and kept landing clean kicks as he backed him up.
• A huge head kick finally dropped Hernandez at 3:43 of round two, and Cerrone followed with punches for the TKO.

Cerrone and Mike Perry spent most of their Denver grudge match trading in the clinch and looking for small openings rather than sprinting into chaos. Perry finally found a late takedown, but that choice handed Cerrone the transition he needed to snatch an armbar and break the UFC wins record.

Key moments

• The fight stayed competitive early with both men landing hard knees to the body and short clinch shots rather than opening up wildly at range.
• Cerrone mixed in jabs, low kicks and knees while repeatedly making Perry reset his rushes.
• Late in the round Perry scored a takedown, only for Cerrone to scramble immediately into attacking positions from the mat.
• Cerrone threw up the armbar at 4:46 of round one and forced the tap, giving him the then-record 21st UFC victory.

Cerrone made Leon Edwards work for five rounds in Singapore, but he spent too much of the fight dealing with Edwards' cleaner straight punches, clinch elbows and body work. Cerrone rallied late and had a real fifth-round push, yet Edwards had already banked too much of the sharper offense to lose the decision.

Key moments

• Edwards landed early body kicks, straight lefts and clinch uppercuts while calmly denying Cerrone the type of messy entries he wanted.
• Cerrone found moments with side kicks, knees and pressure, but Edwards kept answering with better timing through the middle rounds.
• By the championship rounds Cerrone was bloodied and chasing the fight while Edwards stayed composed enough to keep scoring first in many exchanges.
• Cerrone took the fifth on some scorecards, but Edwards still swept the official cards 48-47, 48-47 and 48-47.

Cerrone snapped his losing streak against Yancy Medeiros by reading the pressure fight more cleanly as the round wore on. Medeiros had success making it physical, but Cerrone's counters, body work and late right hand produced a finish just before the horn and a needed reset to his run.

Key moments

• Medeiros came forward aggressively, working knees and pressure against the fence in a fight that started fast and physical.
• Cerrone began timing the entries with counters and briefly dropped Medeiros earlier in the round, though he chose not to swarm recklessly.
• The exchanges stayed wild in the pocket until Cerrone found another clean right hand as Medeiros stepped in.
• Medeiros fell hard and Cerrone finished with follow-up punches at 4:58 of round one, only two seconds before the bell.

Till's size and straight-left timing gave Cerrone problems from the start of their Gdansk main event. Cerrone kept looking for takedowns and opportunities to drag the fight into his kind of rhythm, but Till's pressure, cross and left kick steadily built until the final burst along the fence ended it.

Key moments

• Till looked sharp early, defending the first takedown attempt and immediately making Cerrone deal with the southpaw left hand.
• Cerrone completed a later shot, but he could not keep Till down long enough to change the fight's direction.
• As the round developed, Till's straight shots and left kick kept finding the target while Cerrone was forced into reactive entries.
• Till hurt him late, swarmed with punches at the fence and finished the bout at 4:20 of round one.

Cerrone rallied well after Robbie Lawler's opening blitz, but he could never quite erase the damage and pressure Lawler banked in the first and third rounds. The middle frame belonged more to Cerrone's kicks, knees and clinch work, yet Lawler's heavier surges and body attacks still carried the scorecards.

Key moments

• Lawler exploded out of the gate with a violent combination that forced Cerrone to survive along the fence before he steadied himself.
• Cerrone answered with elbows in the clinch and a takedown late in the first, showing he was still in the fight after the rough start.
• Round two was his best work, using teeps, body kicks, level changes and short combinations to keep Lawler at range for long stretches.
• Lawler reclaimed momentum in the third with renewed pressure, body kicks and cleaner power shots, earning the unanimous decision in a competitive fight.

Cerrone and Jorge Masvidal produced a sharp, technical striking fight until Masvidal's late first-round surge and second-round body work broke it open. Cerrone had success with jabs, leg kicks and a brief takedown, but Masvidal kept finding the cleaner counters and then swarmed once he hurt him.

Key moments

• The first round featured precise exchanges from both men, with Cerrone landing kicks and straight shots while Masvidal answered with sharper counters.
• Cerrone briefly changed levels for a takedown, but Masvidal returned to his feet quickly and resumed trading in the pocket.
• Masvidal buzzed Cerrone near the end of round one, setting the tone for the finishing sequence that followed.
• Early in round two Masvidal ripped the body, then came upstairs with punches until the stoppage arrived after one minute.

Cerrone's fight with Matt Brown stayed tense for two rounds before his layered kicking attack finally produced the walk-off finish. Brown kept marching forward and forcing exchanges, but Cerrone's jab, body work and repeated head-kick looks kept adding up until the opening was there for good.

Key moments

• Cerrone spent the early rounds stabbing Brown to the body and legs while using his jab to make Brown reset on the way in.
• Brown still had success when he could crowd him, which kept the fight competitive despite Cerrone landing the flashier kicks.
• By the end of the second round Brown had already absorbed several head kicks, even as he continued to press for his own offense.
• Cerrone went back upstairs again early in round three and flattened Brown with the decisive head kick for the knockout.

Cerrone's welterweight surge kept rolling against Rick Story once he established kicking range and forced Story to chase him. Story had moments pressing forward early, but Cerrone's knees, leg kicks and quick combinations gradually took his legs and opened the finishing sequence in round two.

Key moments

• Story pushed forward in round one, but Cerrone's knees to the body and kicks helped slow down the pressure over time.
• Once Story's entries became more predictable, Cerrone started landing cleaner combinations on the fence and at mid-range.
• Round two saw Cerrone fully controlling the distance, mixing right hands, low kicks and more knees as Story faded.
• A high kick and follow-up knee sent Story down, and Cerrone closed with punches for the stoppage after becoming the first man to stop Story with strikes.

Cerrone's move up to welterweight kept paying off against Patrick Côté as he used range, combinations and attritional pace to take over the fight. Côté stayed dangerous when he could step in and trade, but Cerrone steadily punished him at kicking distance and broke him down before the third-round finish.

Key moments

• Cerrone opened by working behind long kicks and straight punches, forcing Côté to cover distance before he could answer.
• Whenever Côté found exchanges in the pocket he reminded Cerrone of his power, but he spent too much of the fight reacting to Cerrone's volume.
• By the second round Cerrone was landing more freely to the body and head, making Côté absorb extended combinations instead of single shots.
• Early in round three Cerrone swarmed with punches against the fence and forced the stoppage after gradually wearing Côté down.

Cerrone survived Alex Oliveira's wild early pressure and turned the first grappling exchange into a quick submission win. Oliveira charged forward with punches and clinch work on short notice, but Cerrone stayed composed, reversed position and locked up a triangle from his back as soon as the opening appeared.

Key moments

• Oliveira came out aggressively, throwing hard punches and forcing Cerrone to deal with immediate pressure in open space and the clinch.
• The Brazilian changed levels during the scramble, but Cerrone used the transition to settle himself rather than panic under the burst offense.
• Once the fight hit the mat Cerrone quickly climbed his legs into position and isolated Oliveira's posture from guard.
• He snapped on the triangle choke and drew the tap in just over two minutes, ending the short-notice welterweight matchup before Oliveira could reset.

Cerrone's lightweight title shot against Rafael dos Anjos collapsed almost immediately under the champion's opening storm. Dos Anjos pressured from the first second, landed clean left hands and knees in combination, and never let Cerrone recover before the referee stepped in just 66 seconds into the fight.

Key moments

• Dos Anjos sprinted to the center and forced Cerrone backward before Cowboy could establish any kicking rhythm.
• The champion landed a sharp left hand early, then kept stacking punches and knees as Cerrone retreated toward the fence.
• Cerrone had no real chance to reset because every attempted answer was drowned out by another burst from dos Anjos.
• After a final flurry pinned Cerrone on the cage, the referee waved off the fight a little more than one minute into round one.

Cerrone's fight with John Makdessi was a measured kickboxing match until one clean head kick ended it violently late in the second round. Makdessi had success with his own speed and kicking game, but Cerrone kept extending the exchanges with knees and straight shots before the finishing kick broke Makdessi's jaw.

Key moments

• Both men traded kicks early, with Makdessi showing quick counters while Cerrone worked to establish his longer range.
• Cerrone started mixing in knees and right hands as the fight developed, making Makdessi react to more than just the kicking battle.
• The second round stayed competitive until Cerrone created enough space to fire upstairs without being crowded.
• A flush head kick landed near the horn, badly damaging Makdessi's jaw and forcing the stoppage before the fight could continue.

Cerrone's short-notice trilogy bout with Benson Henderson was a close, tactical striking fight that hinged on narrow rounds rather than big momentum swings. Cerrone boxed sharply early and mixed in body kicks and takedowns, while Henderson answered with his usual side kicks, body work and higher volume down the stretch in a decision many observers saw as razor-close.

Key moments

• Cerrone started fast for once, landing crisp punches and body kicks in the opening round instead of giving Henderson a slow read.
• Henderson kept touching Cerrone's lead leg and body with side kicks and short punches, gradually making the exchanges messier.
• The second and third rounds featured takedowns and clinch breaks from Cerrone, but Henderson often matched them with more sustained activity.
• All three judges scored it 29-28 for Cerrone in a controversial decision that capped his seven-fight winning streak.

Cerrone handed the unbeaten Myles Jury his first loss by taking over with grappling in round one and cleaner kickboxing across the final two frames. Jury's takedown-first game plan gave him entries, but Cerrone swept early control into back exposure, then battered him with low kicks, knees and steady pressure the rest of the way.

Key moments

• Jury landed an early takedown, but Cerrone used an omoplata transition to sweep and quickly take the back with a body triangle.
• Jury survived several dangerous grappling spots in the opening round, including a late rear-naked choke threat, but spent most of it defending.
• On the feet Cerrone repeatedly punished Jury's legs and body while making the younger contender pay for failed attempts to catch kicks into takedowns.
• A cracking high kick and late takedown in round three sealed a 30-27 decision on all three scorecards.

Cerrone rallied from a rough first round to outlast Eddie Alvarez in a high-level striking and clinch battle. Alvarez's burst offense and right hands gave him the early edge in his UFC debut, but Cerrone's knees to the body, leg kicks and late pressure steadily changed the fight until he owned the final round.

Key moments

• Alvarez hurt Cerrone in close with a hard first-round flurry and repeatedly threatened level changes to keep Cowboy from settling in.
• Cerrone began turning the fight in round two by landing body kicks, knees and low kicks as Alvarez's movement slowed.
• Whenever Alvarez shot late takedowns, Cerrone either stuffed them or punished him in the clinch before resetting at range.
• A barrage of leg kicks dropped Alvarez in round three, and Cerrone finished the fight on top after clearly seizing the momentum.

Cerrone and Jim Miller fought a violent, competitive main event until Cerrone's kicking game took over in the second round. Miller had real success with hooks, counters and pressure in the first, but Cerrone kept stabbing the body and legs until a head kick became the fight-ending shot that produced the first strikes stoppage loss of Miller's career.

Key moments

• The first round was furious, with Cerrone firing knees up the middle while Miller answered with sharp counters and hard work in the clinch.
• Miller even buzzed Cerrone late in the opening frame, forcing Cowboy to fight through one of the bout's clearest danger moments.
• By round two Cerrone's body kicks and front kicks were slowing Miller's pressure and making him absorb more offense on the way in.
• Cerrone ended it with a huge head kick at 3:31 of the second round, adding follow-up punches and earning the first KO/TKO win over Miller.

Cerrone survived Barboza's sharp early punching and turned the first real momentum swing of the fight into a submission finish. Barboza looked faster and cleaner in the opening exchanges, but one stiff jab from Cerrone changed the fight instantly and let him jump on the choke before Barboza could recover.

Key moments

• Barboza opened hard with combinations, body work and even a spinning back kick that had Cerrone eating more damage than usual early.
• Cerrone kept pressing forward despite the rough start instead of backing off to reset the striking battle.
• A sudden left jab from Cerrone stunned Barboza and dropped him into the kind of scramble Cowboy thrives in.
• Cerrone transitioned straight to the rear-naked choke and forced the tap at 3:15 of round one for his third straight finish.

Cerrone spent most of the round building range and rhythm against Adriano Martins before ending the fight with one of the cleanest head-kick knockouts of his career. Martins had moments boxing back and forcing Cerrone to mix in takedowns, but the kicking game kept setting the table until the finish arrived all at once.

Key moments

• Cerrone mixed low kicks, front kicks and a few takedown attempts early rather than forcing a reckless firefight.
• Martins answered with solid boxing and made Cerrone respect his left hand often enough to keep the round competitive.
• Once the fight returned to kicking range, Cerrone kept drawing Martins into the same reads with his steady leg attacks.
• He uncorked a picture-perfect high kick late in the round that knocked Martins out cold at 4:40 of the first.

Cerrone and Evan Dunham produced a fast, violent fight before Cerrone's grappling closed it in round two. Dunham survived serious trouble in the first round, including a damaging flurry and a cut from a break knee, but Cerrone kept the pressure on until a takedown scramble gave him the triangle finish.

Key moments

• Cerrone nearly finished the fight in round one with punches and knees after hurting Dunham badly and forcing him to cover up.
• A huge knee to the head on the break opened a cut over Dunham's left eye and kept the pressure tilted toward Cerrone.
• Midway through the second round Cerrone scored the takedown and stayed composed when the position briefly shifted underneath him.
• He quickly locked the triangle choke from the mat and finished the fight at 3:49 of round two.

Cerrone was outworked early by Rafael dos Anjos and could not fully make up the deficit despite a better third round. Dos Anjos pressured him with sharper boxing, body kicks and top control through the first two frames, leaving Cerrone with too much to chase once he finally opened up late.

Key moments

• Dos Anjos landed a big right hand in the opening round that staggered Cerrone and forced him to fight reactively.
• Cerrone threatened submissions from his back, but dos Anjos answered with elbows and enough top work to keep banking the round.
• The second round followed a similar pattern, with dos Anjos pressing his striking edge and finishing strong from top position again.
• Cerrone finally surged in round three with better kicks, knees and forward pressure, but dos Anjos still took a 29-28 decision on all three cards.

Cerrone put together a disciplined three-round performance against K.J. Noons, mixing his kicking game, straight punching and takedowns to win clearly on the cards. Noons had moments when he tried to answer in the pocket, but Cerrone kept forcing him backward, opened damage around the eye and closed the fight with his best ground-and-pound.

Key moments

• Cerrone established the fight at his range with low kicks and cleaner straight shots while Noons struggled to stay in front of him for long.
• As the exchanges stretched out, Cerrone layered in takedowns and clinch control to stop Noons from turning the bout into a pure boxing match.
• Repeated kicks, punches and elbows opened damage around Noons' right eye and left him wearing the attritional effect of Cerrone's pace.
• Cerrone finished the third round strongly with more takedowns and hard strikes from top position, sealing a unanimous decision.

Cerrone's rematch with Anthony Pettis ended abruptly when Pettis found the body in a fast opening-round exchange. Cerrone landed enough early offense to keep the fight tense, but Pettis kept digging to the midsection until a liver shot folded him and produced the finish.

Key moments

• The fight opened at a sharp pace, with Pettis landing first and forcing Cerrone to answer quickly rather than settle into range.
• Cerrone had his best moment when a knee to the body briefly made Pettis pause and hinted that he could slow the action down.
• Pettis returned to the body anyway, mixing his offense until another clean shot visibly hurt Cerrone.
• A follow-up liver kick crumpled Cerrone at 2:35 of round one, handing him the first stoppage loss of his career.

Cerrone survived an immediate scare against Melvin Guillard and flipped the fight with one of the quickest momentum swings of his career. Guillard had him badly hurt in the opening seconds, but once the action reset Cerrone regained his balance and detonated a head kick to end it in just 76 seconds.

Key moments

• Guillard floored Cerrone almost instantly with a left hook and jumped on him with knees, elbows and body work in the clinch.
• For several frantic moments Cerrone was fighting just to stay upright while Guillard looked close to finishing the bout.
• A brief reset gave Cerrone room to recover his stance and timing instead of remaining trapped under Guillard's pressure.
• Cerrone answered with a brutal head kick and follow-up punch, scoring the knockout at 1:16 of the first round.

Cerrone outfought Jeremy Stephens over three rounds by leaning on range, kicking volume and cleaner combination work. Stephens kept loading up on power shots, but Cerrone repeatedly beat him to the target, damaged his eye and mixed in takedowns to cruise to a wide decision.

Key moments

• Cerrone went straight to the leg kicks and long punches, forcing Stephens to chase and resetting the range on his terms.
• As the fight settled, Cerrone added body work and cleaner combinations while Stephens struggled to land his heavier shots flush.
• The attritional striking showed on Stephens' face, with swelling around the eye growing as Cerrone kept scoring first.
• Cerrone mixed in timely takedowns and stayed technically cleaner through the final frame to sweep the cards 30-27.

Cerrone never found a lasting answer for Nate Diaz's pace and boxing, dropping a one-sided decision in a fight where his best weapon kept disappearing. Cerrone had some success chopping at the lead leg, but Diaz consistently outworked him with volume punching and made him pay whenever the fight stayed in open boxing range.

Key moments

• Diaz established his rhythm early with long combinations and forced Cerrone to spend too much of the fight reacting instead of dictating.
• Cerrone's leg kicks gave him his clearest path back into the bout, but he did not stay with them consistently enough to slow Diaz down.
• Whenever Cerrone stayed in the pocket, Diaz's output and accuracy kept building the gap on the scorecards.
• By the third round Diaz was still pouring on punches while Cerrone faded, carrying the fight to a clear unanimous decision.

Cerrone ran over Dennis Siver in a violent first round, hurting him repeatedly on the feet before taking the back for the finish. Siver briefly bought time with a clinch and takedown attempt after the first head kick, but once the fight reset Cerrone cracked him again and converted the scramble immediately into the choke.

Key moments

• Cerrone blasted Siver early with a head kick that left the German badly shaken almost from the opening exchange.
• Siver survived the first surge by forcing a desperate clinch and trying to drag the fight down long enough to recover.
• After the reset Cerrone stepped back in with punches and another head kick, hurting Siver even worse the second time.
• Instead of chasing only ground-and-pound, Cerrone jumped to the back, set his hooks fast and forced the rear-naked choke tap at 2:22 of round one.

Cerrone put Charles Oliveira on the defensive immediately and smashed through him before the first round was half over. He pressured with leg kicks, knees and straight punches, then turned a body-head sequence into a knockdown and standing barrage that forced the referee to stop it.

Key moments

• Cerrone opened by stalking Oliveira behind hard low kicks and quickly made the younger lightweight fight off the back foot.
• He mixed in knees from the clinch and kept touching Oliveira with straight shots whenever the Brazilian tried to reset.
• A crisp right hand and left hook to the body hurt Oliveira, and Cerrone followed with a knee to the face as Oliveira bent forward.
• With Oliveira down and covering up, Cerrone unloaded from above until the referee waved it off at 3:01 of round one.

Cerrone dismantled Vagner Rocha over three rounds by refusing to let the late-notice grappler turn the fight into his kind of contest. Rocha did get one early takedown, but Cerrone attacked from underneath, stood back up and spent the rest of the bout battering Rocha's legs until the decision was academic.

Key moments

• Cerrone started hacking at Rocha's lead leg almost immediately and made it clear he was comfortable striking from distance.
• When Rocha caught a knee and completed a takedown, Cerrone attacked with an omoplata threat and used butterfly hooks to work back to his feet.
• Rocha's later takedown attempts kept failing, and every reset gave Cerrone another chance to slam in damaging leg kicks.
• By the final round Rocha was badly compromised and even pulling guard in desperation while Cerrone stayed upright and coasted to a lopsided decision.

Cerrone's UFC debut was rough around the edges for a round because Kelly forced a brawl, opened a cut under his eye and never stopped charging. Once Cerrone settled and put the fight on the floor in round two, though, the matchup flipped completely and he closed it with the back take that many expected from the start.

Key moments

• Kelly came out aggressively, landing punches and a knee in the clinch while opening a cut beneath Cerrone's right eye in the first round.
• Cerrone still had key success early with takedowns, body kicks and late elbows that cut Kelly over the right eyebrow.
• In round two Cerrone drove into another takedown, escaped a guillotine and advanced quickly from half guard to mount as Kelly gave up his back.
• A tight body triangle and short punches softened Kelly up before Cerrone slipped the choke under the chin for the tap at 3:48 of the second round.

Cerrone spent the final WEC event handling Horodecki's pressure with a mix of kicks, trips and opportunistic grappling, then turned one of Horodecki's own takedowns into the finish. It was a technical, varied performance that closed his WEC run on a clean submission win rather than another wild brawl.

Key moments

• Horodecki started fast with head kicks and combinations, but Cerrone answered by chopping the lead leg, landing knees and repeatedly turning the tie-ups into takedowns or trips.
• The first round stayed competitive until Cerrone ended it in the stronger position by plowing Horodecki down and taking his back.
• Early in round two Horodecki scored a takedown of his own, only for Cerrone to attack immediately from the bottom with an omoplata and then a triangle.
• Cerrone kept adjusting the position until the choke tightened for good, forcing Horodecki to tap at 2:43 of round two.

Cerrone's rematch with Varner was his cleanest answer to an old rivalry, because he took the initiative from the opening seconds and never really surrendered it. Varner still had hard counters and moments of defiance, but Cerrone's pressure, knees, takedowns and leg kicks made the gap on the scorecards much clearer than in their first meeting.

Key moments

• Cerrone stormed out early, rocked Varner with a knee and kept him retreating behind an aggressive mix of leg kicks and straight punches.
• Late in the first he dropped Varner with a sharp counter left hook, though Varner still fired back enough to keep the round lively.
• The second round was more measured, but Cerrone kept building with body kicks, takedowns, knees and low kicks while Varner started to wear damage between the eyes.
• By the third Varner was breathing heavily and fighting like he knew he was behind, while Cerrone kept landing kicks, combinations and another takedown on the way to a 30-27 sweep.

Cerrone's second title shot against Henderson ended before it could develop into the kind of long, layered fight their first meeting became. He started well with a hard leg kick, but Henderson immediately forced the clinch, turned it into top position and snatched the guillotine before Cerrone could reset.

Key moments

• Cerrone opened by standing tall and cracking Henderson with a big leg kick before the champion rushed straight into a single-leg entry.
• Henderson controlled the clinch from the back position, battering Cerrone's thigh with knees while keeping him pinned.
• When Cerrone finally spun around, Henderson dumped him to the floor and added ground-and-pound immediately rather than letting him settle.
• Henderson then locked up the guillotine and forced the tap less than two minutes into the opening round.

Cerrone's main-event win over Ratcliff was messy because the first two rounds were defined as much by his repeated fouls as by his eventual control. Ratcliff hurt him early and made him pay twice at the scorecards through point deductions, but once Cerrone found his kicking range and forced the fight deeper, he broke Ratcliff down and took the finish anyway.

Key moments

• Ratcliff buckled Cerrone with a one-two and another right hand in the opening round, then kept him off-balance with leg kicks while Cerrone was still trying to recover.
• Cerrone landed hard knees and body work in the clinch, but three separate accidental groin strikes cost him two point deductions across the first two rounds.
• By the second round Cerrone had started to take over cleanly, stalking forward behind body and leg kicks while Ratcliff backed up and looked increasingly tired.
• Early in the third Cerrone jumped on Ratcliff's back during a scramble, controlled the position on the mat and finished the rear-naked choke after another back take.

Cerrone's first fight with Henderson was a layered five-round title fight that swung from early submission danger to long stretches of Henderson top control and then a late Cerrone rally. Cerrone threatened often enough to make the bout memorable, but Henderson's takedowns and mat control won him the middle rounds that decided the scorecards.

Key moments

• Cerrone nearly changed the fight immediately by chaining a deep guillotine into a triangle in the first round before Henderson escaped and answered with late top pressure.
• Henderson settled into the fight in rounds two and three by timing takedowns, standing over Cerrone's open guard with punches and repeatedly forcing him to work back up.
• Once Henderson's shots slowed in round four, Cerrone started stuffing entries, popping him with uppercuts and finally dictating the striking exchanges for a full round.
• Cerrone surged again in the fifth with a left hook and a run of omoplata, triangle, armbar and kimura attempts, but Henderson survived the submissions and held on for the unanimous decision.

Cerrone's fight with Krause looked awkward for stretches because Krause mixed in his own grappling and made Cerrone solve problems before the finish appeared. Once Cerrone hurt him late in the round, though, the whole sequence flipped quickly from standing threat to back control and choke.

Key moments

• Krause opened sharply with leg kicks and an early takedown, forcing Cerrone to attack from below with an omoplata before the positions started scrambling.
• Cerrone fought off a modified kimura, got back upright and began denying Krause's follow-up shots in open space.
• A standing guillotine transition let Cerrone blast Krause with a knee to the face, and he followed it with a left hook and right straight that folded him.
• Cerrone jumped on the back as Krause tried to recover and closed the rear-naked choke at 4:38 of the first round.

Cerrone's first title fight with Varner was competitive and violent, but it was also one where he spent too much of the middle rounds fighting through damage and takedowns. He rallied in spots with body work, late submission threats and forward pressure, yet the bout ended abruptly when an illegal knee left Varner unable to continue and sent the fight to the cards.

Key moments

• Varner set the tone early by rocking Cerrone with a two-punch combination, passing guard and unloading elbows and punches that raised a huge welt on Cerrone's forehead.
• Cerrone answered in the second with hard body kicks and nearly stole the round outright by locking Varner in a triangle just before the horn.
• The champion regained control through the middle rounds with right hands, repeated takedowns and visible damage around both of Cerrone's eyes even as Cerrone kept walking him down.
• In the fifth Cerrone finally scored a takedown of his own, but the fight ended when an unintentional illegal knee to the head left Varner unable to continue and the judges awarded Varner the technical split decision.

Cerrone's title-eliminator win over McCullough was one of his better early WEC showcases because he kept threatening finishes without giving away the fight's structure. He dropped McCullough repeatedly, mixed sharp kicking and grappling into the exchanges, and still had enough left to close with takedowns and late flurries when the bout reached the scorecards.

Key moments

• Sherdog's live play-by-play had Cerrone dropping McCullough twice in the opening round, jumping on top with punches and elbows, and reopening the fight after a cut check before finishing the frame in control.
• Early in round two he hurt McCullough again with a right uppercut and left hook, then rode the back with hooks before nearly catching an armbar when the positions reversed.
• The third round saw Cerrone blend a takedown, a flying knee to the body, and a left hook-right high kick sequence before one last takedown and flurry buckled McCullough again.
• All three judges still sided with Cerrone, and the performance was strong enough that later career retrospectives consistently treated it as the win that pushed him into the WEC lightweight title picture.

Cerrone's first official WEC win was short and opportunistic rather than drawn-out. The important detail is that he finished Castillo from bottom guard with an armbar in only 90 seconds, immediately reestablishing momentum after his overturned promotional debut.

Key moments

• Sherdog's event page records the bout as a first-round armbar at 1:30 in Sacramento.
• UFC Stats identifies the finish more specifically as an armbar from bottom guard, which explains why the fight ended so suddenly once Cerrone found the position he wanted.
• Castillo entered unbeaten, but the submission ended the fight before the opening round reached its halfway point.
• The win mattered for Cerrone's career arc because it became the first WEC result that actually stayed on his record after the Kenneth Alexander no contest.

Cerrone's WEC debut originally looked like a statement submission win, but it only counts historically as a no contest. He caught Alexander in a fast triangle less than a minute into round one, only for the Nevada commission to overturn the result after Cerrone tested positive for hydrochlorothiazide.

Key moments

• Sherdog's event page lists the in-cage result at 0:56 of round one before the later commission change.
• MMA Fighting's Donald Cerrone career recap described Alexander taking Cerrone down early, with Cerrone working free and locking up a tight inverted triangle for the quick finish.
• The Nevada State Athletic Commission later overturned the win to a no contest because Cerrone tested positive for the banned diuretic hydrochlorothiazide.
• That left the debut as an official NC and made Danny Castillo, not Alexander, the first WEC opponent Cerrone beat on the permanent record.

Cerrone's trip to Tokyo extended his unbeaten start to 7-0 and showed that his submission game traveled outside the Colorado regional circuit. Sherdog later singled out the Cage Force 3 win over Yasunori Kanehara as one of the reference examples of Cerrone's early submission slickness, with the finish coming by triangle choke midway through the second round.

Key moments

• The bout took place in Tokyo at Cage Force 3 rather than on one of Cerrone's usual Colorado cards.
• Cerrone stayed unbeaten by finishing Kanehara with a triangle choke in round two.
• The win pushed Cerrone's pre-WEC record to 7-0.
• Sherdog later cited this fight as required viewing when highlighting Cerrone as an emerging lightweight prospect.

Cerrone stayed on his rapid early run by submitting Anthony Njokuani late in the first round at Ring of Fire 29. Publicly available coverage is thin, but the surviving fight records consistently frame it as another showcase of the submission-heavy style that defined Cerrone's first year as a pro.

Key moments

• The fight came at Ring of Fire 29 in Broomfield, Colorado.
• Cerrone finished Njokuani with a triangle choke at 4:30 of round one.
• It was his sixth straight win to open his pro MMA career.
• The result continued a streak in which every one of Cerrone's early victories came by submission.

Cerrone made quick work of Ryan Roberts at Ring of Fire 28, finishing the fight with a first-round armbar and moving to 5-0. Sherdog later pointed to the Roberts bout, along with the Kanehara win, as a useful early example of the submission craft that would soon carry Cerrone into the WEC.

Key moments

• The fight took place at Ring of Fire 28 in Broomfield, Colorado.
• Cerrone won by armbar in the opening round.
• The finish moved him to 5-0 as a professional.
• Sherdog later called this one of the early fights worth revisiting when tracking Cerrone's rise.

Cerrone's fight with Jesse Brock was his first listed regional title breakthrough, as he submitted Brock in the Ring of Fire 26 main event to win the promotion's lightweight championship. The available sources are mostly event-level and record-level, but they agree on the title stakes, the main-event billing and the fast first-round triangle choke finish.

Key moments

• The bout headlined Ring of Fire 26 in Castle Rock, Colorado.
• Cerrone challenged for the Ring of Fire lightweight title rather than fighting in a standard undercard bout.
• He won the championship by triangle choke at 1:35 of round one.
• The victory gave Cerrone the first major belt of his documented MMA career.

Cerrone kept his early run moving at Ring of Fire 24 by submitting Craig Tennant in just over a minute. Publicly available sourcing for the bout is thin, so the safest published story is the one the surviving records support clearly: another first-round finish on a Colorado Ring of Fire card as Cerrone's regional momentum kept building.

Key moments

• The fight took place at Ring of Fire 24 in Castle Rock, Colorado.
• Cerrone won by armbar at 1:26 of the opening round.
• It was his third straight documented professional win.
• The result reinforced the early pattern of fast submission finishes that defined the start of his career.

Cerrone needed a second round to finish Cruz Chacon at American CF: Genesis, but the result still fit the shape of his early rise: another submission win and another unbeaten step forward. The available evidence is mostly record-level, so the key publishable details are the event, the second-round triangle choke and the place this win held in his 2-0 start.

Key moments

• The bout came at American Championship Fighting: Genesis in Denver.
• Cerrone finished Chacon with a triangle choke in round two.
• The win moved him to 2-0 as a pro.
• It was his second straight career-opening submission victory.

Cerrone's documented pro debut ended with a quick triangle choke over Nate Mohr at Ring of Fire 21. Sherdog's event page confirms the placement, venue and finish, making it the clean starting point for the submission-heavy regional run that eventually carried Cerrone into national promotions.

Key moments

• The fight happened at Ring of Fire 21 in Castle Rock, Colorado.
• Cerrone beat Mohr by triangle choke at 1:42 of round one.
• It stands as the first listed win on Cerrone's professional MMA record.
• The finish immediately established the aggressive submission identity that defined his early career.