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UFC lightweight Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone believes that 2012 is his year. He is looking for a title shot before the year ends.

“See last year I think I had the wrong mentality, I said I just wanted to fight, and I didn’t care about the title,” said Cerrone. “We’re here to get that belt. So hopefully two more (fights), win this one and win one more and then I will start calling people out.”

Cerrone was scheduled to fight an old friend of his in lightweight Yves Edwards, but Edwards had to drop out due to injury. The UFC replaced Edwards with hard-hitting veteran Jeremy “Lil’ Heathen” Stephens. The fight is the co-main event at UFC on Fuel TV on May 15, in Fairfax, Va.

Cerrone and Stephens are both known for exciting fights with toe-to-toe action. Cerrone has won a combined seven UFC & WEC “Fight of the Night” honors, while Stephens has won three UFC “Knockout of the night” and one “Fight of the Night” honors.

“Stephens and I are going to be a barn burner, action-pack, non-stop in your face, kicking (expletive),” said Cerrone.

I have interviewed Cerrone on several occasions and each time I walk away respecting him more and more for his honesty. He’s a guy that doesn’t bite his tongue and he’s straight forward on everything.

“Last year was my first year in the UFC, my feet was still wet and I was scared” he said. “A lot comes with holding that (championship) belt, you have to present yourself and be mentally and physically ready to defend it at all-times.”

After winning six fights in a row, Cerrone lost his last fight to Nate Diaz and the critics and haters hit to Twitter and to MMA websites doubting his fighting skills. Cerrone is a fan of Chael Sonnen, and just like Sonnen, Cerrone has a word for his critics (haters), “Haters are like crickets, they talk a lot of crap until you walk up on them”

The lightweight division is a highly competitive weight class. But Cerrone believes his time has come and this is his year.

“I wasn’t ready last year, but 2012 is the year,” he said. “I’m coming hard, harder than I ever had, in shape and a pissed off Cowboy.”