DONALD CERRONE'S INEVITABLE REMATCH WITH ANTHONY PETTIS
By: Tom Taylor, FIGHTLAND
"When Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone and Anthony 'Showtime' Pettis faced each other in January of 2013, the result wasn’t controversial or debatable. That night, for all his immense talent, Cerrone found himself on the receiving end of a sound beating that left little desire for a rematch between the two. After a first-round kick to the body, Cowboy was down for the count. It appeared as though Pettis was the better man, and that’s where the Cerrone-Pettis storyline would end.
"Then, in August 2013, Pettis took the UFC lightweight title from Benson Henderson. With that honor, he suddenly had a target on his back. Every lightweight on the roster wanted a piece of the dynamic striker, simply for the chance to nab the gold around his waist. From the din, several promising challengers emerged in Rafael Dos Anjos, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Gilbert Melendez, and, as fate would have it, Donald Cerrone.
"Despite the one-sidedness and brevity of their first encounter, Cowboy vs. Pettis II might not be out of the question. Their first fight left no need for a rematch, but a rematch is getting harder and harder to argue because Pettis has the belt, and Donald Cerrone has had a better 2014 than just about anyone. Really, if it weren’t for the brilliant, welterweight title-clinching Cinderella story of Robbie Lawler, Cowboy would be a shoo-in for Fighter of the Year. Let’s revisit his tremendous 2014."
