In the history of combat sports, there may not have ever been a more apt nickname adorned to a single fighter than "Cowboy" to veteran UFC lightweight contender Donald Cerrone. 

In search of nothing more than a thrilling scrap and a large windfall for his trouble, Cerrone's no-nonsense attitude (and admittedly nomadic ways) helped him become one of UFC's most active and beloved characters. His willingness to live the gimmick publicly didn't hurt either as Cerrone was rarely ever seen without his cowboy hat and chewing tobacco. 

Provocative elements of the game like trash talk, interviews and world titles never quite interested the native of Denver. Instead, as long as he was allowed to remain as active as both his body and UFC matchmakers would allow, Cerrone (36-11, 1 NC) has been more than happy to cash checks to fuel his badass lifestyle of fast toys and canned beer to wash it all down. 

Annoyed with the sacrifice of cutting to 155 pounds, Cerrone even toyed with an experiment at welterweight in recent years which brought about a result that has long been typical in his career: "Cowboy" is as tough an out as they come in the fight game yet somewhat of a prototypical (albeit very elite) gatekeeper from the standpoint that he consistently lost when stepping up to face the very best. 

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Yet a pair of events seemed to intertwine along Cerrone's path to the twilight of his career, one which featured a surprising three-fight losing skid which had some believing his days in the sport were numbered. Not only did Cerrone's activity and sustained success allow him to set a number of UFC records pertaining to longevity, including both most appearances and most wins, he became a first-time father. 

"With the kid people say it would change your life but that is so cliche and I said, 'No it won't,'" Cerrone said. "But, oh, on like a primal level this is what they are talking about. This is the feeling."

For the first time in Cerrone's professional career, the idea of securing his legacy became paramount as "Cowboy," with the softened heart of a new father, began to think about what he might leave behind for his son to remember him by. And despite the many UFC records tied to his name, the idea of walking away for good without having been a world champion started to eat at him.  

"Chasing and trying to be the best in the world and trying to get the title never really meant much to me," Cerrone said. "It was always about just having fun and loving what I do. For years they have asked me about making a run at the title and I would say, 'No, I don't really care. It doesn't interest me.' 

"Being a new parent has definitely changed my outlook. The last thing I need in my legacy is to get this belt and I'm going to get it."

Despite being just 35 days removed from a brutal five-round war with former title contender Al Iaquinta, the 36-year-old Cerrone will hop on the horse one more time for an offer too lucrative for him to pass up at UFC 238 on Saturday in Chicago. 

It may not be the main event on an event headlined by a pair of title bouts, but one could easily argue Cerrone's lightweight bout with former interim title contender Tony Ferguson (24-3) is the most anticipated on the card. It's also incredibly important as Cerrone enters one win away from securing a likely title shot in the sport's deepest and most dangerous division.  

Cerrone's transformation from wild-man brawler who would travel to fights in a rundown Winnebago to a technical and calculated assassin has been interesting to watch. His hair might be thinning just a bit and his infamous BMF ("Bad Motherf---er") ranch in Edgewood, New Mexico, where he now trains full-time, might have been forced to make room amid all the free spirit manliness for a few baby toys. But make no mistake, this is still the same old "Cowboy" fans once fell in love with. In fact, his commitment to focus may have made him surprisingly as dangerous as ever. 

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'Dad' Cerrone is fighting at what he calls a primal level late in his career for his son, Danger. USATSI

That doesn't mean the final hill for him to climb before securing his second shot at a UFC title after having lost to Rafael dos Anjos in 2015 is any easier. Ferguson's combination of hunger and unorthodox danger, fueled by an incredible 11-fight win streak, is only offset by the personal issues, injuries and bad luck that have kept him inactive and away from the title over the past two years.   

The scary part for Cerrone is that all of this negativity outside of the cage surrounding Ferguson, including his wife ordering a restraining order and frightening details emerging regarding his psyche, seems to have only fueled his resolve even deeper. Let's not forget, this is the same Ferguson who recovered in 2018 from a freakish knee injury in which both LCLs became detached and returned to the Octagon in just four months while doing his own physical therapy. 

"God blessed me with a lot of good talents and when I got into this sport it was a growing process. I still haven't reached my peak," Ferguson said. "I'm out there doing my thing, it's like dancing. It's rolls and tumbles and elbows and blades and shades. No matter how bloody the fight does get there is no better feeling than having that hand raised in victory.

"I had my title stripped from me and it's just one of things that I need to get back. In order to be the champion, you have to beat everybody and I'm running out of asses to kick."

Ferguson, whose knee injury pulled him from a title shot opposite current champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in April 2018, came back in July to stop former titleholder Anthony Pettis in one of the year's bloodiest and most violent fights. 

"My record speaks for itself," Ferguson said. "[Cerrone] has got his baby boy but nothing is going to change and I'm going to go out there and give the fans what they want. This is my mat and I'm going to defend it. I'm going to go out and rough this 'Cowboy' up and tie him up." 

Cerrone, who has built his persona upon never running from a fight and always being ready should the phone ring, isn't afraid of the hell he'll likely need to walk through amid the almost disturbing pace Ferguson typically sets. For the old "Cowboy," this is his moment to cement everything he has worked for throughout a memorable 13-year career. 

"I've seen everything and I've been in the fire and I've been in the trenches," Cerrone said. "Tony, I think you're durable, super tough and you set a high pace. I also set a high pace and I'm better everywhere."