Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone was a recent guest on Joe Rogan’s podcast, where he proceeded to blast Jackson-Wink owners Greg Jackson and Mike Winklejohn for how they handled the recent booking of his fight with teammate Mike Perry, amongst other things. Cerrone in particular lashed out at Winklejohn, whom he says was never someone that he cared to train with.
Having checked out Cerrone’s vitriol, longtime teammate Diego Sanchez responded with his own venom, even offering to step in and fight Cerrone should Perry drop out before their bout, which is scheduled for the UFC’s 25th Anniversary show on Nov. 10 in Denver.
Cerrone has been with the team for more than a decade – Sanchez even longer – but claims that once Jackson and Winklejohn merged their two gyms into one, it lost its professional edge.
“When Winklejohn merged over, all the big pros left, it turned into a puppy mill,” Cerrone said. “Back when Greg had it and it was its own school, you couldn’t turn up to a pro class. Some guy couldn’t just come here, knock on your door, and the next thing you know, he has shin pads on and he’s sparring.”
Sanchez has been with the team almost from the start and quickly shot down Cerrone’s assertions.
“Jackson-Wink is on fire. We’re on the ups bro, no lie. I have been here longer than anyone and seen the many stages of our evolution of this team!!! We’re stronger than ever. Our defeats only helped us to grow and we are coming into the prosperous stage just watch and see!!!” he wrote on Instagram.
“Cerrone had been so busy building his empire the past three, four years, and he’s done a fantastic job doing it, but that’s been his focus. He’s never been here!!! Maybe a grappling class here or there, a sparring every 6 months??? That’s not a teammate, it’s just someone who is out only for themselves. I’d try to give him a round if we crossed paths here or there. The last time, he got me real good with a side kick to the liver,” Sanchez continued.
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“I see it all!! I treat this like a job, 9-5. I come every day. I stay when everyone leaves to rest and eat… so I see it all!! And in the past ten years, Cowboy never went out of his way to help me get ready for a fight, not once! That’s why I posted previous about why I was Team Platinum. Mike Perry is here to give me rounds if I need them and helped me more in one camp than Cowboy did in ten years.
“Don’t bad mouth my gym or my coach, Mike Winklejohn. We’re good peeps striving to better our city, our state, and our sport!!!! If Perry falls out come November, I’LL BE READY TO FILL IN WITH ZERO HESITATION! And we know where Greg Jackson will be.”
