Derrick Lewis knew he had a shot at UFC history in the buildup to his showdown against Aleksei Oleinik. The fighter was tied with former UFC heavyweight champions, Junior Dos Santos and Cain Velasquez, for most knockout wins in the division. On August 8, he stepped into the octagon with a simple goal in his head. 

‘The Black Beast’ faced adversity in the opening round as ‘The Boa Constrictor’ tried to use a variety of holds to drain his opponent. The plan succeeded for a while, but only motivated Lewis. The fourth-ranked heavyweight contender did not want to be part of another hold and swiftly ended the fight at the start of the second round. 

Read More: Derrick Lewis Creates History- Breaks Record for UFC Heavyweight Knockouts

He swooped in and connected with a monstrous blow to send the 43-year-old Russian down. Lewis went on a ground and pound and pummeled Oleinik for twelve seconds before Herb Dean handed him a T/KO win. 

In the post-fight interview with UFC commentator Paul Felder, Lewis admitted that ‘The Boa Constrictor’ had locked in his submission well. 

He said, “He had the British Bulldog, whatever the hell submission on me he had it pretty deep. I couldn’t breathe it all. It feels good, especially knowing I’m not where I want to be yet.” (via Jed I. Goodman-Twitter)

Derrick Lewis will look to secure another championship fight 

Derrick Lewis looked phenomenal, and the admission of him not being where he wants to be may send chills down the heavyweight division. 

He competed for the title last January, but lost to Daniel Cormier via submission. Since then, he has been on a three-fight win streak.

Additionally, he secured his first finish since defeating Alexander Volkov in 2018. As a result, he will maintain his spot in the UFC heavyweight rankings and could be in with a shot of leapfrogging Curtis Blaydes soon. 

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Furthermore, the win will keep him in the hunt for a title shot, and given the company he shares in terms of most knockouts, Lewis will want to have the gold akin to Velasquez and Dos Santos. 

How impressive was Derrick Lewis in overcoming adversity and sealing a record-breaking triumph?

Sources: Jed I. Goodman-Twitter, Derrick Lewis- Fight History