A novel optimized model of distributed multi-hop Cognitive Medium Access Control (C-MAC) protocol with a single transceiver was proposed to handle two restrictions in MAC protocol of Mobile Ad Hoc NETwork (MANET). One is the restriction of multiple transceivers and payload imbalance in different channels, and the other one is the restriction of multi-hop and control overhead. Firstly, channel sensing and data transmission of the new C-MAC protocol were realized in ATIM (Announcement Traffic Indication Message) window and DATA window respectively based on Power Saving Mode (PSM), which made them separated in time domain. Secondly, power value was nonuniform quantized and Gray encoded to decrease float overhead caused by node mobility. Then, a distributed cooperation mechanism was raised for multi-hop networking, based on which channel switching rule was redefined to guarantee that channels would be used fairly and balanced. Last, metrics as Channel Vacate Time (CVT), Channel Opening Time (COT), throughput and channel payload time were considered by simulation. Results show that, the novel protocol could execute independently without several transceivers, the difference values of CVT, COT and payload time among different channels reduce by 13 ms, 20 ms and 100 s respectively, and corresponding throughput rises about 1.5%, all of which realize the optimization of protocol performance in transceiver restriction, payload balance, throughput and overhead control.