Dana White: ‘We’re nowhere close’ to making Conor McGregor vs. Donald Cerrone fight

MMAfighting.com

The idea of a matchup between Conor McGregor and Donald Cerrone is one which has captured fans’ imaginations ever since McGregor tweeted interest in a bout with the popular “Cowboy.”

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Such a bout wouldn’t mean much within championship schemes, but it would be a meeting of two of the sport’s most popular fighters and one which, on paper, would promise fireworks in the cage.

Cerrone, coming off his spectacular win over Alexander Hernandez in the first-ever ESPN prelim card broadcast at UFC Brooklyn on Jan. 19, clearly still wants the matchup, as he recently posted on his Instagram a bottle of his trademark Budweiser alongside McGregor’s Proper Twelve whiskey and an International Fight Week date:

But UFC president Dana White doesn’t quite seem on board with the idea. While he acknowledged he once said he’d try to make the fight if the competitors really wanted it, at Friday’s UFC 236 press conference White said the fight isn’t anywhere near a done deal, and that, in fact, they’re looking for other bouts for Cerrone at the moment.

“Listen, these two have been talking about this and I said if they want to fight I would do it,” White said. “But we’re nowhere close to a fight. We’re actually looking at other opponents for ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone now.”

White’s comments seemingly putting the kibosh on Conor vs. Cowboy didn’t sit well with the crowd, as the otherwise festive fans on hand jeered White’s proclamation he was looking at other fights.

“I know,” White said with a smile, acknowledging the crowd’s needling.