The lightweight fight between Donald Cerrone and Joe Lauzon has been rebooked for the upcoming UFC Fight Night card in Austin, Texas, on June 18.
Multiple people with knowledge of the promotion’s plans confirmed the news to MMA Fighting on Tuesday with verbal agreements in place from the athletes. ESPN.com initially reported the news.
Cerrone and Lauzon were scheduled to clash this past Saturday night at UFC 274 but the bout was scratched just hours before it was set to take place. The cancellation came after Cerrone contracted food poisoning that caused him to vomit and left him unable to keep any food in his system. Eventually, he was forced to withdraw from the card.
Cerrone issued a statement afterward explaining his desire to rebook the fight with Lauzon while also targeting two more bouts before retirement.
“I have 48 fights under Zuffa,” he said. “I’m saddened that I couldn’t have my 49th and put on a show for you all. My number is 50, gentlemen. I’ll retire when I get 50. So I got two more fights in the UFC. So thank you Dana White, thank you Joe Lauzon for not taking that fight with an ill, sick Cowboy. You want a strong, healthy, bad motherf*****.
“So we’ll meet again. Like I said, Cowboy’s got two more fights left under Zuffa. I want 50 fights then I’m bowing out, I’m out of here, boys. I’ll be back stronger than ever ready to take on the world. Let’s go.”
Cerrone got his wish with the fight against Lauzon now scheduled for the upcoming card in Austin, which is headlined by a featherweight fight between Calvin Kattar and Josh Emmett.
