Donald Cerrone wants 2017 to be one of the defining years of his career. Before the next 12 months pass, “Cowboy” said he wants to hold the UFC welterweight belt.

When it comes to UFC title talk, Cerrone has never been particularly expressive. He fell short of the lightweight belt in a TKO loss to then-champ Rafael dos Anjos in December 2015, but generally Cerrone stops short of clamoring for the gold; he simply prefers to fight as frequently as possible.

Cerrone (32-7 MMA, 19-4 UFC) said his outlook has recently evolved, though, which is why ahead of Saturday’s UFC on FOX 23 co-headliner with Jorge Masvidal (31-11 MMA, 8-4 UFC), the fan favorite revealed his 2017 plans.

“I’m going to go whip Masvidal’s ass, call out one of these top contenders or call out (welterweight champion Tyron) Woodley, and say, ‘Let’s dance, baby,'” Cerrone said on the “UFC Road to the Octagon” special for UFC on FOX 23. “I’m going to go get this belt in 2017. I’m coming. It’s mine. We’re just getting warmed up.”

UFC on FOX 23 takes place at Pepsi Center in Denver, and the main card, including Cerrone vs. Masvidal, airs on FOX following prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass.

Cerrone, No. 7 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA welterweight rankings, has the chance to make this a meaningful year. A win at UFC on FOX 23 would tie him with middleweight champion Michael Bisping for the most victories in UFC history, while a stoppage of Masvidal would tie him with ex-champs Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort for the most finishes inside the octagon.

Cerrone is approaching a number of other meaningful UFC records, but those achievements ultimately won’t mean as much if he never wears the belt. He used to brush off the notion of a title being overly important, but as his career has progressed, his priorities have shifted.

“The title probably means more to my team than it does to me,” Cerrone said. “I used to think, ‘I’m here to fight.’ I didn’t have the same mentality that I do now. I feel a little more mature in the game, a little different.”

One thing that hasn’t changed, though, is Cerrone’s approach to each individual fight. He’s adamant he leaves all tape study and technical preparations to his coaches. He said he knows only the gist of what Masvidal will bring to the table on fight night, but really, that’s all he needs.

“I don’t even know if I’ve ever seen Masvidal fight,” Cerrone said. “I think he’s like a boxer, wrestler. Pretty good jiu-jitsu. Sounds like he’s pretty good at striking. I don’t know how his wrestling is. I’m going to bet I’m better at all three.”

The showdown with Masvidal is key for Cerrone for a number of reasons. Not only did “Gamebred” specifically ask for the matchup, but it’s taking place in Cerrone’s hometown of Denver. With a 4-0 record since he moved up to 170 pounds this past year, Cerrone looks to stay perfect in his new weight class and do it in front of all his friends and family.

He said he’s not going to allow Masvidal to spoil that moment.

“I’m a winner; that’s what I like to do,” Cerrone said. “But at home in front of everybody? I ain’t losing. No way, no how. I’m coming hard. I can’t wait.”

For more on UFC on FOX 23, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.