Despite Gdansk fight, Donald Cerrone says he’s penciled in for UFC 219 in December

Donald Cerrone is fighting Darren Till at UFC Fight Night 118 this Saturday, but he might already have another booking in the works.

Donald Cerrone is “double dipping.”

The UFC welterweight contender is scheduled to headline UFC Fight Night 118 against up-and-comer Darren Till in Gdansk, Poland on Saturday. But according to Cowboy, he has a second fight already penciled in for UFC 219 on Dec. 30 in Las Vegas.

Cerrone told Sirius XM’s The Luke Thomas Show that he does not yet have an opponent, as the UFC cannot officially announce him for the card until his bout against Till is complete.

“They can’t officially book me for two. It won’t work,” Cerrone said Friday. “It’s just on ice.”

Joe Schilling, who sometimes trains with Cerrone in Albuquerque, says otherwise.

“I know who he’s fighting, but now I feel like I might’ve just let the cat out of the bag on that one,” the kickboxer told Sirius XM’s MMA Tonight one day prior. “It’s gonna be a good fight. It’s an exciting matchup for sure; I think a lot of people will be excited about it. That’s all I can say. But let’s get this dork, Darren Till, out of the way first.”

Cerrone has always been willing to fight anyone, at any given event, on any given day; that’s why he’s a fan favorite. He said fighting so often has always been a “no brainer” because of the financial success that comes along with it.

“Not to mention do I love it, but then I just know the amount of money coming into my bank account when I put four fights in,” said Cerrone, who also added that the organization knows he always wants at least four fights per year, which is why he is booked for the end-of-year show. (His Till fight this weekend will be No. 3 of 2017.)

Cerrone, who holds a record of 32-9, 1 NC in MMA and a record of 19-6 in the UFC, is aiming to to have 15 or more fights before stepping away from the sport in five years, he said.

“I said I wanted 50 fights total, but that’s right on my fingertips,” Cerrone said. “So I gotta broaden that to maybe 60. So 55 or 60; (I’ll) probably go with 60.”

Cerrone’s fight versus Till will be streamed live and exclusively on UFC Fight Pass from Ergo Arena.