Donald Cerrone submits Rafael Dos Anjos twice at Submission Underground
Donald Cerrone submitted Rafael Dos Anjos in a grappling match at Submission Underground; not once, but twice. The first bout culminated controversially after the referee assumed that Dos Anjos had tapped after the Cowboy caught him in an armbar. The former UFC Lightweight champion claimed that he was trying to push Cerrone's legs, which appeared as a tap to the referee.
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Although the referee acknowledged Dos Anjos' protest, Cerrone was awarded the victory. However, Cowboy immediately insisted that they should have a rematch since his opponent didn't tap.
Cerrone and Dos Anjos grappled once again, and the former submitted the Brazilian for the second time, except he actually tapped this time around.
The 37-year-old UFC veteran used the same technique to submit Dos Anjos via an armbar. Following the grappling match, the two fighters displayed great sportsmanship in what seemed like a controversial outing.
What happened when Donald Cerrone and Rafael Dos Anjos fought in UFC?
Donald Cerrone and Rafael Dos Anjos have locked horns in UFC on two occasions, with the Brazilian fighter emerging victorious both times.
The two fighters first shared the octagon in 2013, where Dos Anjos defeated Cerrone in a closely-contested bout.
After their first meeting, both fighters improved their skill-set exponentially and ushered into their primes. Cowboy would go on an eight-match win streak defeating the likes of Edson Barboza, Benson Henderson, and Eddie Alvarez.
On the other hand, Dos Anjos got the better of Benson Henderson and Nate Diaz before he dethroned Anthony Pettis and successfully claimed the UFC Lightweight championship.
Donald Cerrone and Dos Anjos competed once again in a rematch in 2015, and the Brazilian put an end to Cowboy's incredible win streak via TKO in the first round. Dos Anjos, however, lost the championship in his next fight against Eddie Alvarez.
After Donald Cerrone's win at the Submission Underground, one can assume that he has avenged both his losses, but considering Cowboy's personality, he may not find solace in it.