The fight between a pair of UFC lightweight luminaries seems to be cursed.
For the second time, Donald Cerrone vs. Joe Lauzon has been canceled the day of the planned bout,. Lauzon had to withdraw because of a non-weight-cut-related medical issue, the promotion said. The contest was scheduled as the UFC Austin co-main event Saturday night.
"So I'm not fighting Cowboy Cerrone tonight," Lauzon said on Instagram. "The freakiest weirdest thing ever: I weigh-in officially, I got sit down, and I got to put my socks on, I turn my knee out, and my knee locks out.
"I've dealt with meniscus injuries on both knees, but this knee in particular, had it cleaned out a bunch of times, but when it does lock up, I can usually straighten out, it unlocks, totally fine, 100 percent, immediately. This time, I'm now surrounded by all the fighters, commission, Cowboy's in the room, I'm trying not to make a scene and let people know there's not a problem with my knee. Eventually, I end up hopping on one of my cornerman's back, acted like I was choking him like we were joking, but I couldn't stand. I couldn't walk at all."
Cerrone and Lauzon were supposed to fight at UFC 274 on May 7 in Phoenix, but that time Cerrone fell ill the morning of the bout, forcing a cancellation. Cerrone vs. Lauzon was first scheduled for April 30, but moved from that date and now it appears it will have to move again.
Both men are among the most popular and exciting fighters at 155 pounds and closing in on their career twilight.
Cerrone (36-16, 2 NC) is winless in six straight fights and has not won since 2019. The 39-year-old New Mexico resident is tied for the most wins in UFC history with Jim Miller and Andrei Arlovski (23). "Cowboy" also is tied for the most fight-night bonuses in UFC history with Charles Oliveira (19) and owns the second most finishes in the promotion ever (16).
Lauzon (28-15) is coming off a first-round TKO win over Jonathan Pearce in October 2019 and has not fought since. The 38-year-old Massachusetts-born fighter is tied with Nate Diaz for the second most fight-night bonuses in UFC history (15) and has the second most finishes in UFC lightweight history (13), behind Cerrone.
UFC Austin is headlined by a featherweight contender bout between Calvin Kattar and Josh Emmett.