5 Questions We Have About Donald Cerrone Ahead of UFC 160

Before UFC 160's main event between Cain Velasquez and Antonio Silva gets underway, the card will play host to 11 additional bouts. Many of Saturday night's lead-ins have the potential to dazzle with exciting, competitive action, but perhaps none so much as the lightweight showdown between bonus-hunter extraordinaire Donald Cerrone and Strikeforce import K.J. Noons.

There are a number of questions surrounding each combatant heading into the fight. For Noons, curiosity is largely fixated on whether or not he'll be able to hold down a job in the UFC. For Cerrone, the questions are a bit more diverse.

Here we will briefly examine five of the questions that surround "Cowboy" as he preps for his big lightweight affair at UFC 160.

Is He a Contender or a Gatekeeper?

Cerrone is a fine talent, there is no doubt about it. But is he a gatekeeper, or a contender? 

His UFC record of 6-2 is good enough to make him a contender, but when we look at those losses, they are actually quite concerning.

Cerrone's defeats to Nate Diaz and Anthony Pettis were both extremely one-sided, as was his last WEC loss to Ben Henderson. All of those foes are high level, but if Cerrone is high level as well, the fights should have been much closer.

The question isn't one that will necessarily be answered at UFC 160, since Noons has not established himself as a top-notch fighter. But, if Cerrone lets this one slip, it will be difficult for anyone to take him seriously as a title threat moving forward.

Can He Handle Noons on the Feet?

Cerrone has a reputation for being a dual threat, endangering opponents on both the feet and the mat. But, how will his striking hold up against a boxer like Noons?

In recent fights, striking has posed some problems for Cerrone. He was outclassed by Nate Diaz at UFC 141, given a scare by Melvin Guillard at UFC 150, and knocked out in just 2:35 by Anthony Pettis at UFC on Fox 6.

Granted, all of those opponents wield danger striking, but then again, so does Noons. If Cerrone hopes to avoid his third defeat in five outings, his kickboxing will have to be on point at UFC 160.

What's the Game Plan?

Piggy-backing off the last question, I can't help but wonder whether Cerrone will hunt the takedown against Noons.

Cerrone is a terror on the mat and grappling is an area of weakness for Noons. It seems logical that "Cowboy" would do whatever he needs to to get the fight horizontal, but it's not a strategy he has employed much in the past.

Confident in his striking, Cerrone has often been content to remain standing, letting his foes take him down at their own peril.

It's unlikely Noons will seek the takedown, so it will be up to Cerrone to initiate the grappling at UFC 160. It will be interesting to monitor whether he comes out committed to a wrestling-based attack, or tries his hand at exchanging.

Will He Collect Another Fight Night Bonus?

Since November 2008, Cerrone has had 16 fights between the UFC and WEC. Over that span he has garnered eight Fight of the Night awards, two Knockout of the Night awards and a Submission of the Night award.

Joe Lauzon might be unimpressed by Cerrone's bounty-hunting skills, but to everyone else, they look pretty damn impressive.

Facing an opponent like Noons, who likes to employ an active boxing attack, will give Cerrone a legitimate shot at adding another trophy to his shelf. Maybe even two.

What Happens If He Loses?

Cerrone won't be cut if he loses, but he is just 2-2 over his last four outings, so another tumble down the ladder will land him miles away from the title.

He is entertaining and recognizable enough to stay in the periphery of the spotlight even with underwhelming results, but does a loss this Saturday mean he officially becomes a niche fighter instead of a potential contender?

Cerrone is 30, so he would have some time to recover in the event of a loss, but would there even be reason left to believe he's capable of impacting the top of the division given any sort of time frame?

The importance of this match cannot be understated from the Cerrone perspective. A win might not vault him into immediate title contention, but a loss would be devastating.