Donald Cerrone Hoping To Drop To Featherweight, Fight Nam Phan

An unexpected drop to a lower weight class is usually reserved for the last-ditch revival of a stalling career, not a fighter on a five-fight win streak. Yet that's exactly what former WEC-contender Donald Cerrone (16-3, 1 NC) intends to do after his fight with Dennis Siver at UFC 137.

"I'm about to go to 145 (pounds) after this fight," Cerrone flatly declared to MMA Junkie. "I'm going to go after Nam Phan. He's talking [expletive], and now I'm pissed off."

The sentiment is somewhat surprising given Cerrone's burgeoning status in the UFC's 155-pound division. Since the WEC-UFC merger, the 28-year-old has rallied off three straight wins this year over Paul Kelly, Vagner Rocha, and Charles Oliveira, earning 'Fight of the Night' and 'Knockout of the Night' bonuses in the process. The impressive run has sparked whispers of title contention, but according to "Cowboy", the belt can wait. First he wants to defend his best friend and training partner, Leonard Garcia.

"[Phan] said if our coaches were any good, they would have taught Leonard (Garcia) to throw down straight punches, but they don't know Leonard," Cerrone explained. "You could teach Leonard anything, and as soon as he gets hit, he turns into that wild caveman, and that's just how he fights."

Phan recently avenged a controversial decision loss to Garcia with a grueling victory at UFC 136. After the decision, the former "The Ultimate Fighter" competitor apparently fanned the flames with an offhanded remark about Garcia's technique, sparking the ire of Cerrone.

"Nam just wants to talk [expletive]," Cerrone said. "So I'll show him what our training looks like."