Retired UFC star Donald Cerrone left the MMA community astonished earlier this week when he announced his comeback from his brief retirement. Cerrone initially retired in 2022 after suffering a guillotine choke from another veteran Jim Miller, marking his sixth defeat in his last seven outings which also includes a no-contest. This bout brought his career combat tally to just shy of 50 fights. Following this, ‘Cowboy’ was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame as one of the most active fighters in modern UFC history.

The announcement of Cerrone intending to make a comedown caught the attention of UFC head honcho Dana White during the post-Contender Series press conference, where he remarked, “Love him, hate that.” This sparked widespread debate, with numerous MMA analysts and retired fighters questioning Cerrone’s decision to return to the octagon. Even fighter-turned-analyst Brendan Schaub shared his thoughts on the matter during a recent episode of his podcast, ‘The Fighter and the Kid,’ alongside co-host Bryan Callen.

Brendan Schaub critiques the matchmaking approach of Dana White and company

During the podcast, when asked about Dana White’s remarks on Cerrone’s potential comeback, where White stated, “They retire because they know it’s over. They know it is,” Schaub strongly disagreed. He criticized White and the UFC for pushing fighters into retirement even when they aren’t ready, raising concerns about the promotion’s matchmaking choices. Schaub argued, “It’s not over though, if you give them the right matchups. That’s my issue with the UFC. Nick Diaz shouldn’t be fighting Vicente Luque, who’s ranked number 14. He should be fighting Tony Ferguson.”

Schaub didn’t stop there. He further brought up UFC veteran Stephen Thompson, who, at 41 years old, is nearing retirement, having gone 1-5 in his last six fights, many of which were against much younger opponents like Shavkat Rakhmonov and Belal Muhammad. Schaub added, “Can we get a break? Wonderboy Thompson, a lot older, Shavkat, Belal—monsters, dude. Buckley, this young lion-like, what are we doing?”

Schaub then landed the final blow in the debate, noting that the 41-year-old Cerrone has always been a favorite of Dana White. They will need to decide what path Cerrone should take if he doesn’t return as a fighter. After all, if Cerrone’s comeback motives are outside the realm of fighting, he knows better what he must do. But the UFC CEO has assured the Hall of Famer that he has his back.

White offers support to Cerrone if his comeback is money-driven

It’s not new that some fighters, like Khabib Nurmagomedov, leave the fight world quickly after achieving significant milestones in the mixed martial arts industry. He retired with an unblemished but incomplete record of 29-0, despite many believing he could have reached 30-0. However, Nurmagomedov has always stated he is satisfied with his decision to move back to Dagestan. Earlier this summer, news surfaced in Russia about Nurmagomedov facing ongoing issues with authorities over unpaid taxes, which raised concerns about a potential return to the UFC for financial reasons.

However, Nurmagomedov returned not as a fighter but as a coach for his teammates. Dana White implied a similar reason behind Donald Cerrone’s return. During the post-fight conference for Dana White’s Contender Series, White offered his financial support, stating, “There’s nothing left to prove for him. I’d rather work something else out with him, figure out another way. If it’s about money, then he can do something else. Because he ain’t going to fight for the rest of his life, and he’s always going to need to make money. So let’s figure that out now instead of three years from now.”

Now, the spotlight is on Dana White and the UFC as they determine Donald Cerrone’s future. Will they permit him to fight again, or will they organize a different path for the UFC Hall of Famer? What’s your take on Brendan Schaub’s remarks? Do you believe he is correct regarding the matchmaking concerns in the promotion? Share your opinion below.