Joe Rogan Experience #699 - Donald Cerrone

Episode Summary

Main Topics Discussed

• Training Blake Griffin: Donald Cerrone recounted his experience training the NBA star, highlighting Griffin's immense athleticism versus his initial struggles with combat sports techniques, and the challenges of being told not to use specific moves.
• The Role of "Enforcers" in Sports: A discussion contrasting the legality and even encouragement of fighting in hockey with its strict prohibition in other major sports, referencing Cerrone's friend, former NHL enforcer Scott Parker.
• Personal Philosophy & Risk-Taking: Cerrone's candid views on life, death, injury (including his use of chewing tobacco), and his "boots on baby" mentality regarding serious physical impairment, alongside a brief tangent into future human regeneration.
• Rural Living and Connectivity Challenges: Cerrone's struggles with extremely slow internet service in his remote New Mexico home, prompting Rogan to suggest modern satellite solutions.
• The BMF Ranch and Fighter Mentorship: The origins and vision for Cerrone's "Bad Mother F***er Ranch" as a training facility and mentorship hub for aspiring fighters, including the humorous challenges he faced with building permits.
• MMA Evolution and Fighter Mentality: Insights into the changing landscape of MMA, emphasizing the need for well-rounded skills (like wrestling) beyond pure striking, using Leonard Garcia's career as an example.
• Personal Confrontation Stories: Cerrone shared two vivid anecdotes: being sucker-punched in a Whole Foods parking lot and a dramatic "boat rage" incident that led to a two-year legal battle.

Key Insights & Memorable Moments

• Cerrone called out Blake Griffin for "limp-arming" during their training session, demanding full effort despite Griffin's massive size.
• Cerrone defied Griffin's management's request not to use knees or kicks, stating, "you can't tell me what you can't do."
• The unique "no face mask" rule for hockey enforcers, emphasizing the raw nature of fighting in that sport.
• Cerrone's internet situation in Edgewood, New Mexico, was described as "pre-biblical," requiring 48 hours to download a movie.
• The heartwarming story of Cerrone's grandfather buying him the land for the BMF Ranch with cash on a phone call.
• Cerrone's self-deprecating humor about getting a "stop work" notice on his ranch dorms because he "didn't get your permits cuz I of course didn't because I'm a [ __ ] idiot loser."
• The surreal moment during the "boat rage" incident where Cerrone, after front-kicking and lightly head-kicking a drunk aggressor, sat down next to him on the sand.
• The aggressor's bizarre defense in court for the "boat rage" incident: "Man I'm only drunk because this dude embarrassed me in front of all of my friends so I had to drink to get over what had just happened."

Notable Quotes or Revelations

• Cerrone to Blake Griffin during training: "You [ __ ] like [ __ ] man, give give me you know what I mean like don't don't [ __ ] big brother right now... I'm a grown ass man I'm [ __ ] six foot tall I'll [ __ ] you up."
• Cerrone's NBA enforcer pitch: "I need you to go to the NBA... and tell them you guys need enforcers like hockey. I'll be the number, I'll be your man."
• Cerrone's life philosophy: "If I got in a car accident and lost a leg or an arm I'd just I'd tell him pull the plug right there shoot me I'm done."
• On his early career struggles: "In Colorado I was like kind of the at the gyms I was kind of the kid that no one would put a name on... I was a [ __ ] up you know and it was weird."
• Cerrone's reaction after getting sucker-punched at Whole Foods: "Today's your lucky day."
• Cerrone's internal thought during the boat rage: "A lot of crazy gorilla pounding this dude in the sand is going through my mind right."

Overall Themes

• The Warrior Ethos: A deep dive into the mindset of a fighter, from embracing combat in the ring to navigating personal confrontations with a blend of raw instinct and calculated restraint.
• Authenticity and Self-Reliance: Cerrone's candidness about his personal habits, his willingness to admit mistakes (like permit issues), and his desire to build his own path for training and mentorship, reflecting a strong sense of self-reliance.
• Mentorship and Giving Back: A significant theme is Cerrone's commitment to guiding the next generation of fighters, drawing from his own experiences of feeling unsupported and unrecognized early in his career.
• Adaptation and Evolution: The podcast touches on the constant evolution required in MMA, highlighting the need for fighters to adapt their skills (e.g., wrestling) to stay competitive as the sport progresses.