UFC heavyweight, Derrick Lewis, spoke to the media after his blistering KO win over Curtis Blaydes at UFC Vegas 19. ‘The Black Beast’ landed a devastating uppercut to rob Blaydes’ consciousness and early into the second round. What’s more, the knockout came after ‘Razor’ Blaydes out-landed Lewis 27-3 in the first round and proved that ‘The Black Beast’s’ power is undeniable.

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The heavyweight KO king will now take Curtis Blaydes’ number 2 ranking on the heavyweight shortlist. He’ll move up to be the next in line for a title shot, however, Jon Jones’ presence in the division will probably delay his shot. Lewis has consolidated the notion that he can turn around a fight in record timing despite any stylistic disadvantage.

Curtis Blaydes was heavily favored to ground Lewis and dominate him on the ground as he has to others. However, the right hand of ‘The Black Beast’ is often the equalizer that no one seems to consistently predict. With heavyweight KO accolades beginning to pile up, Derrick Lewis will now focus on other aspects of his game.

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What’s next for Derrick ‘The Black Beast’ Lewis?

Speaking to the media in attendance, Derrick Lewis revealed via a senior editor at Athletic that Lewis has a three-round contest in mind next. This goes against every predicted route that comes in for Lewis, who has earned a five-round title fight. However, since Lewis prefers a 15-minute fight duration, it seems like he’s prioritizing ease and activity over gold hardware at the moment.

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Derrick Lewis has expressed a clear-cut sentiment to fight Alistair Overeem, who is coming off a loss. Despite that fact, he wants to fight Overeem for certain comments that ‘The Demolition Man’ passed about his game. The bout could be a blockbuster co-main event on any Fight Night card, thus serving Lewis’ preference for three-round fights.

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Lewis and Overeem are stand-up fighters at heart, however, ‘The Reem’ may not want to stand and trade with ‘The Black Beast’. The Houston native has shown to possess incredible power, and Overeem’s chin isn’t what it once was. It all comes down to the timeline of the heavyweight title picture to determine which fight is next for Derrick Lewis.

Also Read: Yana Kunitskaya Leaves Ketlen Vieira in a Pool of Blood to Win via Unanimous decision

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Darryl Pinto

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Darryl Pinto is a senior MMA writer and editor at EssentiallySports. He is currently pursuing his Sport Business Management degree out of Humber College, Canada and has completed nearly 3 years with the organization. He has also served as the Head of Content for the MLB department. Darryl specializes in predictions, reporting, and covering UFC events live. Having competed in MMA at a collegiate level, he consciously attempts to integrate an athlete's breakdown of MMA techniques like striking, defense, and grappling into his penmanship of the sport as he seeks to give the reader a well-rounded point of view. Before becoming the lead MMA writer, Darryl has also written articles for the NFL and boxing divisions. He began watching UFC 11 years ago at UFC 117 when Chael Sonnen went to war against Anderson Silva.

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