UFC on FOX 23's Donald Cerrone and Jorge Masvidal personal? Depends on who you ask

DENVER – UFC welterweight Jorge Masvidal said it’s business and not personal against Donald Cerrone at UFC on FOX 23.

That doesn’t mean he won’t spit some fire at his opponent on the way to the fight, which co-headlines Saturday’s event.

“(It would be) very satisfying to get him, especially here in Denver,” Masvidal (31-11 MMA, 8-4 UFC) said at an open workout for the FOX-televised card at Pepsi Center. “This is his hometown. I’m hoping he’s had that psychologist spitting game in his ear for however long he’s needed it. I want the best ‘Cowboy’ that ever lived.”

All of Masvidal’s talk has Cerrone (32-7 MMA, 19-4 UFC) convinced his opponent is trying to get under his skin. But he counters it’s nothing more than a distraction. After all, his previous opponent, Matt Brown, tried with all of his might to get him riled up prior to their meeting at UFC 206.

The talk was rendered moot when he landed a blistering head kick that knocked Brown out cold.

“I don’t know why people – whatever they’ve got to do,” Cerrone said of Masvidal. “I’ve been in this game a long time. It’s my 34th UFC fight, so it’s going to be fun. I’m going to enjoy it.”

Prior to fight week festivities, Masvidal leaned hard on the story that Cerrone robbed him of two paychecks – and career bumps – when fights against Bobby Green and Kelvin Gastelum were handed away.

But Cerrone rightfully pointed out it wasn’t his choice to be the fill-in and he simply said yes to opportunities, which has pretty much has been his calling card since he’s been with the UFC.

Masvidal doesn’t care much for the circumstances and is declaring Cerrone part of his “easy money campaign.”

“It’s never personal,” he told MMAjunkie. “I don’t really care for the dude. I don’t like him at all. If he dies or becomes a millionaire, it doesn’t make me lose sleep. But it’s still business.”

Cerrone said the last person to get under his skin was Nate Diaz. That’s no secret. Prior to their meeting at UFC 141, Diaz got in his face and knocked the trademark cowboy hat off Cerrone’s head. Cerrone got emotional and “paid very much for that,” losing a lopsided decision.

Conor McGregor might have tried to anger him at a press conference, but Cerrone dismissed the current UFC lightweight champion as “a whole other ball of (expletive).”

After asking the UFC to fight Masvidal, Cerrone claims he’s looking past the drama and toward a victorious night on Saturday, which will set up his next move.

“I’m trying to get on the card (at UFC 209),” he said. “I want to fight one of them (Stephen Thompson or Tyron Woodley). The only preference I have is whoever’s next, one of the title contender guys. Not that I’m looking past Masvidal, but March 4, here I come.”

Masvidal aims to spoil that date. If he can get in Cerrone’s head by making fun of his work with a sports psychologist, it takes very little energy, and the potential payoff is big.

“I hope he’s looking past me,” he said. “I hope he didn’t run that extra mile. I hope he just thinks this is a walk in the park. Better for me – easy money campaign.

“I have (other names on the easy money campaign). But I’m not as dumb as ‘Cowboy,’ so God willing, I’ll call out the next dude if my hand gets raised.”

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