Just seconds after Phil Hawes ended Deron’s win with hits at UFC Austin, the veteran middleweight picked up another fight with UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier.
Cormier, Winn’s longtime teammate and mentor, also called the action on Saturday and barely made it into the cage when Hawes started yelling at him.
“You picked the wrong pony!” Hawes yelled at Cormier. “Yes, you dog. you know what i’m talking about I will calm down and then next week you can fight me.”
Check out the verbal altercation below via Twitter user @BakankyBro.
Cormier verbally fired back at Hawes, and referee Herb Dean eventually stepped between them to ensure the altercation didn’t turn physical.
“I’m not looking for fights,” Cormier replied. “Be polite. You didn’t hit me. I don’t seek fights.
“Look what happened. Why would I want this fight? You can do better, don’t do that.”
Cooler heads eventually prevailed, and Hawes turned back to Cormier to shake his hand; He added “I apologize” to the former two-part UFC champion.
It’s not clear why Hawes sought the confrontation any differently than Cormier’s close relationship with Winn, who suffered a brutal TKO loss in the fight in Texas.
While they yelled at each other at the end of the fight, Cormier pulled himself together and interviewed Hawes without further incident after his win.