SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1545899
TOUGHER THAN BAJA MMA Fighter Cowboy Cerrone Finds His New Passion In UTV Racing By Dan Sanchez Photos Courtesy of Cowboy Cerrone Preparation, mental toughness, and putting one’s body through extreme torture are all traits that Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone endured over 16 years competing in mixed martial arts’ toughest arena, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Looking for new adventures, Cerrone was invited to a celebrity drive at a Stateside off-road event and discovered UTV racing. “I had no idea what I was doing, but it sounded fun, and after taking second in this celebrity race, I bought two Can-Ams the next day and decided to go racing,” said Cerrone. Although some in the off-road racing community may call Cowboy Cerrone a novice, probably not to his face, he is definitely proving them wrong. He was invited to the SCORE Baja 1000 to race with Mark Burnett and finished in fifth place. “Last year I wanted to drive on my own, and I entered the SCORE Baja 500 in the SCORE Pro UTV FI class,” Cerrone said. With mechanical issues plaguing the UTV, Cerrone was disappointed with a DNF, but it left him with a greater sense of determination. In 2025, he raced at the SCORE Baja 400 and finished fourth. After another DNF at the SCORE Baja 1000 that season, Cerrone had come to learn what he needed to do and entered the 2026 season with better preparation and help with logistics. “This year, I’m in for the whole SCORE season,” he said. “My goal is to win a SCORE Pro UTV FI championship and continue forward from there.” “The competition in SCORE is great, and I always want to compete where the competition is against the best.” From his previous efforts, Cerrone realized he couldn’t do it all alone, so he teamed up with his “best bud” Trey Sprinkle to help him split the finances of the racing program. This included vehicle prep and logistics that were handled by Kelli Willmore of K1 Racing Gear. “I had reached out to Kelli, initially for racing gear, and became friends with her, too. She really helped with our logistics, allowing the team to focus on our preparation and our relationship with Can-Am,” said Cerrone. The team now has six race vehicles, and it all feels much different to Cerrone from trying to do it all on his own, and now as a full off-road race organization. That change gave Cerrone and Sprinkle the focus they needed to finish on the podium in second place at the SCORE Baja 500. “It’s just like fighting,” he says. “Here too, it’s all about the preparation and having a good team to fall back on. I should have known that before. Developing the mental toughness before a race, then putting your body through immense torture, is something I am used to doing well. Before a race, it takes 48 hours of physical and mental preparation, and dealing with the heat is also tough, but I like it.” As a driver, Cerrone is a quick learner and has adjusted to reading the terrain better and knowing which sections to push hard and which to drive conservatively. Aside from the tough competition in SCORE’s UTV classes, one of the biggest things he enjoys is the whole atmosphere of being in Mexico and involved at the pinnacle of off-road racing and motorsports. “I could hear the cheers of fans around me, and being among other racers was a great feeling, one that I had missed.” When Cerrone isn’t racing, he’s continuing to train in MMA and won’t back down from any challenge that may present itself. He also loves to work on his ranch in New Mexico, raising buffalo. “There’s nothing better for me than being a cowboy and racer,” he says. “Right now, we’re fourth in class towards the SCORE Pro UTV FI championship, and our team is going to continue to learn and push to be the best.”SJ