John Makdessi steps in to face Donald Cerrone at UFC 187
John 'The Bull' Makdessi has agreed to step in and face lightweight standout Donald Cerrone at UFC 187, ESPN.com's Brett Okamoto reported Thursday afternoon.
After Cerrone's original opponent, Khabib Nurmagomedov, was forced from the event with an injury, many speculated whether Cerrone, himself, would remain on the card. But a matchup with Makdessi will allow the Jackson-Winklejohn fighter to go for his eighth straight win inside the Octagon.
Makdessi has won four of his last five fights under the UFC banner, including victories over UFC veterans Sam Stout and Daron Cruickshank. His latest win came against UFC newcomer Shane Campbell last weekend at UFC 186: Johnson vs. Horiguchi. Makdessi handled Campbell, dropping him twice before finishing the bout with a flurry of punches late in the first round.
Cerrone has been one of the lightweight division's brightest, and most active, stars during the past year. Cowboy will fight for the fifth time in the last 12 months when he enters the Octagon against Makdessi at UFC 187, and of his seven consecutive wins, four have come by way of finish (two by KO, two by submission).
UFC 187 had a new main event announced earlier this week after former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was stripped of his title and removed from his headlining bout against Anthony Johnson following his arrest on charges of felony hit-and-run. Daniel Cormier will now fill that slot as he and Johnson fight for the full, UFC title. A UFC middleweight title fight between champion Chris Weidman and Vitor Belfort is also scheduled for UFC 187.
