Niko Price feels blessed to fight Donald Cerrone, but won't let fandom get to him
Niko Price couldn’t believe he got the call to fight Donald Cerrone.
The UFC welterweight was in awe when he found out he’ll fight in the co-main event of Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 36 against a former UFC and WEC title challenger and one of the most recognized names in the sport. Price said it took him a good while to realize he’d landed the biggest fight of his MMA career for this weekend’s event, which streams live on ESPN+ from UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
“I had three minutes of frozenness,” Price recalled during Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN+ 36 virtual media day. “Then I just kept reading it over and over. Then I told my wife to come here and read it to me, and she realized what she was reading to me and she was like, ‘Really?’ And I’m like, ‘You’re reading it.’ And then I got ready to fight him. I had to put that all behind me.”
Cerrone (36-15 MMA, 23-12 UFC) has more than 50 professional fights and has shared the cage with the biggest names in the sport, including a bout with Conor McGregor in January. “Cowboy” is one of the most seasoned veterans in MMA. Price (14-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) said he has kept a keen eye on Cerrone for quite some time.
“I watched videos of him and tried to do what he does,” Price said. “I love that guy. He’s a beast – great style, great person, great fighter, class act. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him sour. I learned my sportsmanship from someone like him.
“I’m blessed. I have blessings upon blessings upon blessings on me. I’m trying to capitalize all these blessings that I get and show you guys that I’m worthy to be here and that I’m not alone up here. Even though it may look like it, I’ve got God by my side.”
But despite being a huge fan of Cerrone and fighting someone he admits he looks up to and admires, Price said he is not in this bout just to share the cage with a legend and put on an exciting fight.
“I like winning – the exciting stuff just happens,” Price said. “I love fighting. I love getting my ‘W.’ The reason I love the win is because it helps me give another year toward my family, every paycheck that I get, because this is all I do. I don’t have a side hustle. I don’t have a side job or any other company. This is how I provide with my family. I live fight to fight, so I have to capitalize every fight, and there is no other option.”