PHOENIX – Donald Cerrone is determined to bring his six-fight winless skid to an end against Joe Lauzon at UFC 274.

Cerrone (36-16 MMA, 23-13 UFC), who holds a share of the record for most wins in UFC history, among other notable feats, has fallen on hard times in recent years. He hasn’t won a fight since May 2019, and the results have been getting progressively more definitive against him.

“Cowboy” has taken just shy of one year away from competition as he attempts to recalibrate, and he said he’s left no stone unturned going into fights now. Cerrone said he left the “BMF Ranch” in Albuquerque, N.M., and lived in his R.V. directly outside the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. That’s allowed him to put all his focus into beating Lauzon (28-15 MMA, 15-12 UFC).

“There’s not one box unchecked – I did everything I had to do,” Cerrone told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at Wednesday’s UFC 274 media day. “Let’s do everything that I need to do to be successful, so there’s no questions in my mind, ‘Shoulda, woulda, could’ve.’ Let’s do what I needed to do to get to the UFC back in the day. Let’s earn your keep. Let’s be here. Let everybody know you f*cking belong here.”

Cerrone admits he didn’t take the proper steps to prepare himself accordingly for recent fights. He got complacent after 37 octagon appearances, and no one would’ve blamed him if he decided his tenure in the sport was over given recent results.

He wasn’t willing to go out that way, though, and Cerrone said he has no desire to allow his career to end in an ugly manner, and wants to change the narrative at UFC 274.

“I have nothing else to prove,” Cerrone said. “I’ve set records. I’ve been here. I’ve stayed here. I’ve done what I needed to do. I look at myself in the mirror – I’m here for legacy now. This is just for me. I don’t have to worry about impressing anyone anymore. That’s done. I’m at the age now where you like me if you don’t, I don’t give a f*ck. This is for legacy.

“I want to look myself in the mirror and be like, ‘You did everything you could and that’s why I’m still here.’ Where the last two years, I did nothing I had to do. I’d just go to train. I’m not making f*cking excuses, I just didn’t do what I need to do. Preparation is a direct fact of what my career has spiraled into. So it’s time to rectify that fight for legacy baby.”

UFC 274 takes place Saturday at Footprint Center. The main card, which opens with Cerrone vs. Lauzon, airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

Between them, Cerrone and Lauzon have a combined 33 fight-night bonuses in the UFC. They are two of the great action fighters in the history of the lightweight division, and Cerrone intends to live up to that reputation one more time.

“I can’t believe Joe and I have never met throughout the years before,” Cerrone said. “When they offered a name, I called Joe, ‘Let’s do this.’”