Donald Cerrone says he is unsure of what his involvement with the MMAAA is

With the announcement of the “industry re-defining” Mixed Martial Arts Athletes Association, it appears not everyone involved is exactly sure what is going on with it just yet.

As an announced board member of the association, UFC fan favorite Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone told the media today that he wasn’t even aware he was one of the board members.

“As far as the Association goes man, Georges [St-Pierre] and Tim [Kennedy] called me and asked me to be part of it,” Cerrone told the media after the UFC 206 open workouts (transcribed by Chuck Mindenhall of MMA Fighting). “I didn’t know I was sitting on a board. That kind of took me by surprise, sitting there like, oh wow. I spoke to Dana [White] today on the phone. He’s coming to town, and we’re going to go out to dinner and talk. There’s a lot of things I think this sport needs, you know, retirement pension, health care, things I think we need.”

White recently stated that he was surprised to see Cerrone as part of the MMAAA after he helped him with some legal issues involving a boating incident, which White said he paid for with his own money.

“I wasn’t sitting there saying, ‘we’re moving forward today, we’re going on strike, we need more money,” Cerrone said. “That wasn’t coming out of mouth at all. There were a couple of people that were there that I don’t plan on working with and being a part of, not mentioning any names. I was there mostly just, not saying I’m leading a board or I’m sitting on a board, but more voicing my opinion of what this sport needs.”

Cerrone said he and White had a short conversation over the phone and White told him that he could do anything he wants but wished he would have given a call to let him know of his intent with the MMAAA.

“Moving forward, I’m still going to stand strong with those and say this is what I believe we need. I believe as a whole we need health care, we need some kind of pension for retirement. The UFC has been nothing but great to me. I can’t complain, they give me what I want. And like Dana said, I called him and he helped me out. That’s true, man. I was in a bind, he got the best lawyers you can pay, and saved my ass.”