Derrick Lewis set UFC heavyweight history when he beat Aleksei Oleinik. ‘The Black Beast’ claimed his 11th finish in the division to break the tie with former champions Cain Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos.
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The fourth-ranked heavyweight looked in scintillating form as he came out of the blocks and trounced his opponent in under twenty seconds of the second round. Many would expect him to not change a thing as he moves ahead in his bid to earn another shot at the heavyweight belt.
However, Lewis has other plans on his agenda. This includes a weight cut, but not to drop down the divisions.
In the post-fight chat with Paul Felder, Lewis said, “I’m really not gonna take no more fights till I walk around until 250-245 range. So I got to get down to at least 15-20 pounds. I’m gonna take no fights at 260.” (via Jed I. Goodman-Twitter)
The move may help him improve his movement in the cage and feel sharper. When quizzed as to when he is targeting a return to the UFC following his plan to lose a few pounds, Lewis dropped the last month of 2020.
Read: Derrick Lewis Creates History- Breaks Record for UFC Heavyweight Knockouts
He said, “Hopefully in December, sometime in December. Right now, that’s all I’m gonna focus on, trying to get my weight down, go home and see my kids, my family- my wife, three kids.”
Who could Derrick Lewis fight next?
Given his position in the rankings, ‘The Black Beast’ will look to fight for a top-five contender. He has expressed an interest in taking on Curtis Blaydes. Lewis’ striking power should prove to be a good matchup against the grappling heavy style employed by ‘Razor.’
Additionally, he knows he can take a punch too, as he lasted fifteen minutes against Francis Ngannou and handed ‘The Predator’ his last defeat to date.
Also, the winner of next week’s Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs Junior Dos Santos could stake claim to a fight ‘The Black Beast.’ Both these opponents will provide intriguing matchups for fans who like finishes.
Dos Santos could look to secure yet another heavyweight finish and tie Lewis. Meanwhile, ‘Bigi Boy’ went on his own insane streak of finishes before falling to the rampaging Ngannou at UFC 249. He will be looking for a swift return to form next week.
Read: WATCH: Insane 20-Second Knockout by Francis Ngannou Stuns UFC 249
It will be interesting to see who Derrick Lewis fights next. However, his decision to cut weight will raise a few eyebrows. What do you make of this proposed step?
Source: Jed I. Goodman-Twitter, UFC-Rankings
