The fight between Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone and Joe Lauzon has been nixed for the second time in two tries. The UFC Austin co-main event was shelved on Saturday following a non-weight-cutting medical issue, UFC officials informed MMAWeekly.com.
Lauzon posted a video to his Instagram account explaining that he has had an ongoing problem with his knee locking out. He said that he tried for hours to loosen his knee, involving his own team as well as the UFC’s doctors, all to no avail.
“I literally can’t put any weight on my left knee. None. I can’t stand. I can’t fight. This is heartbreaking,” Lauzon stated. “First, it was Cowboy took the fight, can’t fight. Now, it’s not even a question of being able to fight. It’s now a question of just being able to walk. Sorry Cowboy. Sorry everyone else.”
Lauzon was absent from Friday’s ceremonial weigh-in after having made weight at the morning’s official proceedings. His absence was attributed to cramps as he tried desperately to unlock his knee, which ultimately proved unsuccessful.
As Lauzon referenced, this is the second time that Cerrone vs. Lauzon has been canceled on the day of the fight. They were originally slated to meet at UFC 274 on May 7. The fight fell through after Cerrone fell ill on the day of the bout.
Though Lauzon’s issues were already underway at the time of Friday’s UFC on ESPN 37 weigh-in, the bout wasn’t pulled until the day of the fight in Austin. Lauzon and his team have faced his knee issues before, but were unable to overcome them this time.
UFC AUSTIN: KATTAR VS. EMMETT LIVE RESULTS
The history behind Cowboy Cerrone vs. Joe Lauzon
Between them, Cerrone (36-16, 2 NC) and Lauzon (28-15) have combined for nearly 100 fights in their respective careers. Most of those bouts have been under the UFC or WEC banner. Cerrone, in fact, was expecting the UFC Austin co-main event to be his 48th bout in a UFC or WEC cage.
With Cerrone being 39 years old and Lauzon at 38, both fighters are nearing the end of their careers. Regardless, both of these fighters are known for entertaining showdowns that excite fans. It’ll be a melancholy day for fans when they leave their gloves in the Octagon for the final time, but for now, we’re left to see if Lauzon can heal his knee and return to the Octagon.
UFC on ESPN 37 Ceremonial Weigh-in Video
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