Getty Donald Cerrone
Retired UFC legend Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone has put on noticeable size, and he showed off his body transformation last week on social media.
Cowboy retired from mixed martial arts in July after he fought Jim Miller in a welterweight bout at UFC 276. He lost the match via second-round guillotine choke.
Well, just because Cerrone is no longer an active professional fighter doesn’t mean he’s skipped out on spending time in the gym. And he’s bigger than ever. “Hello Darkness My Old Friend!” Cerrone wrote in the caption. See the post below via the embedded Instagram link.
Several Instagram users commented on the photo, which has received nearly 150,000 Likes at the time of this writing. Someone wrote: “Fire in the Hole! Look at those cannons!”
“Looking pretty diesel Cowboy!” Another wrote. “Congrates!! Enjoy your retirement, so well deserved and EARNED in spades!!!” Someone commented: “Solid. Enjoy your post fight career Cowboy.”
One user wrote: “Beastmode Engaged! Enjoy retirement Cowboy! Always my favorite fighter!”
“Looks like Cowboy has been following the 9 Ancestral tenants the Liver king preached,” someone else commented.
Cerrone Retired Following a Winless 7-Fight Streak
Cerrone retired at 39 from mixed martial arts with a pro record of 36-17 with two no-contests. Ten of his wins have come via KO/TKO and 17 by submission, and he boasts wins over the likes of Eddie Alvarez, Benson Henderson, Edson Barboza, Jeremy Stephens and Mike Perry. Cowboy’s career came to a close following a 0-6 (and one no-contest) run.
His final Octagon victory took place on May 4, 2019, when he bested Al Iaquinta via unanimous decision as the headlining act of UFC Fight Night 151 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Cowboy Announced His MMA Retirement Inside the Octagon Post-Fight at UFC 276
After the dust settled against Miller, Cowboy spoke with UFC color commentator Joe Rogan in the middle of the cage and he announced his MMA retirement. Cowboy told Rogan — and the sold-out crowd at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada — that it was the “perfect” event to have his final fight at.
“Donald, it’s been a special, special career, my friend,” Rogan said to Cerrone. “You’ve had some beautiful moment inside this Octagon. Tell me what’s going on right now.”
“Ah man, I just… thank you Las Vegas,” Cowboy responded. “I’m glad my boys got to be here.
“I don’t love it anymore, Joe. It’s hard for me to get up. This is the longest camp I’ve had in a long time. I’m not complaining or anything, but I just don’t love it anymore. I’m going to be a movie star, baby. It’s time to bow out.”
“Sold-out crowd, Las Vegas, talking to you, got my boys,” Cowboy continued. “One hell of a career, man. Hopefully one day I’m in the Hall of Fame. Thank you so much UFC.”
“One-hundred percent you’ll be in the Hall of Fame and 100 percent you’ve had a special career,” Rogan responded. And it’s been an hour to call your fights and to be your friend.”
Cerrone is now focused on a career as an actor, and he’s recently starred in “Terror on the Praire” and “Project Legion.”