Against Nate Diaz on Friday at UFC 141, however, he has a plan to remedy that problem.
“I’m going to sprint as fast as I can at Nate Diaz,” Cerrone told the Sherdog Radio Network’s “Savage Dog Show.” “That is my game plan. If that doesn’t get it going, I don’t know what will.”
Then again, sprinting at an opponent might not be the best strategy. Diaz is a crafty fighter and could try to take advantage if Cerrone genuinely intends on running at him.
“Bring that s--t on,” Cerrone said in response to the possibility that Diaz might try to time a counterstrike. “I don’t care. I’m here to fight. I’m going to walk you down like the Terminator, bro.”
Cerrone has actually been working with a sports psychiatrist to help him flip the switch sooner in his fights. Of course once he does get started, he usually wins. Since suffering a submission loss to Ben Henderson in April 2010, Cerrone has won six straight. He wants to do more than just beat Diaz, though.
“If everything goes as planned, it’s going to be a one-sided ass whipping,” Cerrone said. “That’s the game plan: make him look dumb. Make him feel dumb.”
Cerrone’s dislike for Diaz stems from an encounter in October at UFC 137. He tried to introduce himself and shake Diaz’s hand at an open workout, but he said Diaz slapped his hand away and cussed him. Although the incident ticked off Cerrone, he still respects Diaz and his brother, Nick, for their fighting ability.
“They come to throw down,” Cerrone said. “I’m very complimentary of the guy. He throws down. He brings it. Friday, he’s coming to fight. That’s just what they do, but this whole not shaking my hand, I don’t understand that. It’s like he’s so socially awkward that he said, ‘Why would I want to shake your hand when I’m going to fight you?’ Because it’s a business, brother. It’s what we do. This is how we get paid. I would fight [friend and teammate] Leonard [Garcia]. I’d go in there and we’d throw down and we’d be best friends again right after. This is just what we do. It’s our job. Just deal with it, bro. You can’t just wake up mad every day and be mad at everybody for no reason.”
Justified or not, the Diaz brothers have plenty of hostility for their opponents. Cerrone doesn’t have much patience for attitude, though, and that’s why it wasn’t surprising that the fighters scuffled Wednesday at the prefight news conference. In Cerrone’s view, Diaz is playing mind games. “The Cowboy” said not only has it not worked, he’s actually in Diaz’s head now.
“My favorite thing about this Diaz thing is that he’s used to punking everybody and getting in their heads and playing little games, raising his hands, getting in their face,” Cerrone said during the “Savage Dog Show” interview, which took place prior to the prefight scuffle. “Too bad. S--t don’t work [against] me, brother. Guess what? The tide’s changed. The role’s switched. Now I’m in your head.” Listen to the full interview (beginning at 1:11:44).