Cowboy Cerrone challenges Reebok to donate 'ludicrous' monetary fine to military charity

After suffering a devastating first-round knockout loss to Rafael dos Anjos in the main event of UFC on FOX 17 last December (recap), Donald Cerrone was the recipient of another tough blow, as he was fined for violating the Reebok outfitting policy.

"Cowboy's" violation was due to the fact that he wore a small patch of the American flag on his fight night shorts.

During a a recent interview on The MMA Hour, Cerrone says he'll man up and take the fine, but what bothered him was the fact that Reebok punished him for being patriotic while Conor McGregor has his very own green shorts representing Ireland.

Courtesy of Reebok, of course.

Furthermore, "Cowboy" challenged the sports apparel company to donate the "ludicrous" amount of money they took from him and donate it to a military charity of its choice.

"Absolutely I was fined for it, for wearing an old flag. Patriotically, that is not very cool, is it? Especially when they make a pair of green shorts for McGregor and I get fined for putting a small piece of an American flag on my shorts. It represents my grandma. That's all besides the point. Just the fact that it was an American flag, just look at that fact. That alone is, you know, whether it's superstitious or a gift from my grandma, it's because I love the United States, it doesn't matter. I understand the fine, sure, I'll take a fine, but what they did to me was a lot more than a fine brother. I am not going to tell you the amount, because I don't think that's right. Let's just say it was a lot, like a lot, a lot. I want to talk to Reebok and tell them that they can have the money, I am okay with that. But, let's at least take that money and give it to a charity of your discretion. I don't care who. Let's make it a Wounded Warrior, or any military charity you want. Since it was a flag and I feel like it was patriotic, lets give it back to people that's the reason I get to fight and walk around to be free every single day that they fight their lives for us. Let's donate that to them, I'll even double it. I'll match the amount and give it. It's not the fact that they took, it's that it's over the flag. The amount to me was crazy. A few grand? Sure, I would've taken that, but the amount they took was ludicrous, so. My thing to whoever took it, don't give it back to me, let's donate it to Wounded Warrior, or to a charity to women whose children were orphaned because their fathers were defending our country."

As part of the promotion's outfitting policy (see it), fighters are not allowed to wear anything outside of the Reebok line during fight week, which includes outfit modifications. In fact, as Nate Diaz learned, if you decide to wear jeans to the weigh-ins, that will constitute a heavy fine, as well.

Cerrone revealed that he informed officials he was going to wear the patch prior to fight night and he was in turn warned of a potential fine. And though he wouldn't give an exact number, "Cowboy" did say it was well over $5,000 and he could probably go buy a new car for a Vietnam vet with the cash.

To make matters worse, Donald was warned that if he violated the policy again, he would no longer be allowed to fight inside the Octagon, according to comments made to his manager. Not one to back down from anything, Donald said he plans on wearing the patch again, perhaps when he fights against Tim Means at UFC Fight Night 82.

Because at the end of the day, he loves his country that much.