AUSTIN, Texas – UFC 274 turned out to be a nightmare for Joe Lauzon, and none of it was of his own doing.
After weeks of training camp, a flight, media and a weight cut, Lauzon was informed his bout against Donald Cerrone was off hours before the event’s start time. Lauzon was devastated to hear of the cancellation, though elated when the bout was ultimately rebooked for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 37.
“It’s the worst,” Lauzon told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a pre-fight news conference Wednesday. “It’s one thing if I didn’t cut weight or do this. I literally flew to the event. I got ready all week long. I did all the media stuff. Nothing would make me happier than sitting in my house, playing Xbox, and hanging out with my kids, eating pizza. That’s what I like to do. That’s what I love to do. Now, it’s like I’m away from my family. I’m doing all this other stuff. Then, I cut weight – which is not fun. I didn’t have a bad weight cut, but it still sucks. I did the weight cut. I weighed in. I did all the media stuff. I did the ceremonial weigh-ins.
“We had a coaching meeting (and) the last shakeouts. Everything had been done, over 99 percent of the work. Then, bam. It’s not happening. No payout. I would’ve rather fought and gotten beat up then to not fight at all. It sucks. It’s the worst – a horrible, horrible feeling. It’s an unresolved feeling of, ‘You did all this work for nothing.’”
Cerrone, who withdrew due to suspected food poisoning, is one of the only other fighters on the UFC roster who’s been a member as long as Lauzon. “Cowboy” has the reputation of being an “anyone, anywhere, anytime” fighter, so Lauzon has no inkling of doubt the pullout was justified.
“I never thought for a second it was some bullsh*t reason or whatever,” Lauzon said. “… I just thought, ‘I’m sure he’s legitimately sick.’ Knock on wood. I’ve never had to pull out of a fight close to it like that. But if he was able to fight, he would’ve been.”
Lauzon is thrilled the matchup is preserved. There’s unfinished business. But beyond this fight, Lauzon isn’t sure. It’s unlikely he retires immediately Saturday regardless of outcome, but isn’t ruling anything out one way or another.
“I expect a win. I expect things to go well on Saturday,” Lauzon said. “I think I’ll be in the same boat come Monday as I am right now. I’m willing to take names and opportunities. That’s one of the big things Dana (White) always says: ‘Fighting in the UFC is not a career. It’s an opportunity.’ I’m hoping for more opportunities.
“… If I go out on Saturday and ‘Cowboy’ kicks me in the face and it’s a bad fight and everything goes bad, then that will very likely be the last one. Even if I lost the fight and it was a close, competitive fight, I think we would entertain more opportunities. I don’t have to take any. I’m not forced. I’m not going to do anything I don’t want to do. … I like being asked the question.”
Check out Lauzon’s full UFC on ESPN 37 pre-fight news conference in the video above.