Daniel Cormier, former UFC heavyweight and you can light heavyweight champ

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Editor’s mention: This tale to start with are blogged into the August, just before Derrick Lewis’s interim name bout having Ciryl Gane. Lewis destroyed this 1 which is right back which Saturday, against Chris Daukaus.

It was , at T-Mobile Stadium into the Las vegas. Derrick Lewis was shedding badly, for the verge of 1 of poor losses from his community.

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Six-foot-eight Russian heavyweight Alexander Volkov is seconds regarding earn. To incorporate insult so you can popularity, Volkov are talking scrap midfight. Whenever Lewis’ cornermen were advising him so you can sugar-daddies “go” and you may toss much more punches, Volkov carry out mock them, stating, “Wade, Derrick! Wade!” while he landed photos off his very own.

The guy just desires to struggle, likes attacking

But with eleven mere seconds left regarding 5th bullet, Lewis met with the last phrase. He walked Volkov down and you can arrived an effective sizzling left-jab, overhand-proper combination. Volkov’s direct clicked back, in which he fell into the fabric. Lewis done with blows on to the ground given that referee stopped the fight. Lewis, which calls themselves “The newest Black colored Beast,” got taken out various other been-from-at the rear of winnings.

Within the a combat of the market leading-ten heavyweights, Derrick Lewis returns out-of a were unsuccessful bid for an interim title to look at rising competitor Chris Daukaus.

UFC Struggle Night: Lewis compared to. Daukaus Tuesday, Dec. 18, UFC Apex, Las vegas • Fundamental cards: 7 p.m. • Prelims: cuatro p.meters.

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“[Volkov] is taunting myself you to entire battle,” Lewis told ESPN. “He was trying to taunt my teachers. Whenever i hit him, and the way I did so it and you may everything you, it was just, such as for instance, finest.

“At long last woke up at the end of the fight. I turned into Beast function, or any type of, after the battle and you may decided, ‘OK, I’d like that it struggle more than which have.’ And i also wound-up end the fight.”

With this victory, Lewis earned the original name take to of their career, which he lost so you can Daniel Cormier at the UFC 230 from inside the . Following, into the August, Lewis forgotten towards the right up-and-coming Ciryl Gane from the UFC 265 from inside the a fight to possess a keen meantime label. One second challenge was at Lewis’ then followed home town out-of Houston for the a credit centered to Lewis, which shows his advancement just just like the an effective combatant plus since the a famous contour in combined fighting styles.

In the process, Lewis is promoting a devoted following the together with self-deprecating laughs and you will an ability to rally regarding forthcoming overcome so you can knock foes unconscious. Lewis possess four knockouts regarding the third bullet or afterwards, and then he has actually around three KOs whenever with a poor hit differential. Their a dozen KOs/TKOs was tied up with Vitor Belfort and you can Matt Brownish to the extremely in UFC record, and he ‘s the all the-date leader to own knockouts inside UFC heavyweight records.

“I like to bump somebody away,” Lewis told you. “I have a leading from it. It’s a perception. . It’s such as the most readily useful perception all over the world.”

Here is how particular prior rivals identify exactly how Lewis’ blows feel and how amazed he’s one to an excellent six-foot-3, 260-lb guy is really so nimble and keep maintaining his stamina up until the actual avoid out of a combat.

Derrick Lewis won their 4th consecutively and you can second from the second-bullet KO to your Feb. 20 as he flattened Curtis Blaydes to set up Saturday’s meantime term attempt. Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC/Getty Photos

Derrick is very strong, of course, throughout connection. The guy hasn’t encountered the success of a man for example Jon Jones otherwise Conor McGregor, however, he is among those people that is totally free for the there. They have no fear. He could be immensely gifted. I do believe which is one of those one thing some body skip on Derrick Lewis — just how athletically talented he’s. You do not get to accomplish some of the one thing Derrick Lewis really does rather than possess professional-level athleticism. Periodically the guy does some thing and I am such as, “Inspire, it huge guy can also be place this along with her.” It’s tremendous.