Derrick Lewis has had many memorable moments in the UFC, but this one seemed unique. After arriving into UFC Nashville with a point to prove and leaving with Tallison Teixeira‘s undefeated record in his pocket, Lewis appeared to have one more run in him. The finale may have been hasty and controversial, but it did the job and opened a very unexpected door.

Moments after the TKO, the UFC released a behind-the-scenes video, adding fuel to the gathering fire. In the footage, Lewis can be seen holding Dana White’s phone while still within the cage. The caption reads, “A quick call to the president post TKO win 📞,” and the man on the other end is none other than Donald Trump. As the head honcho revealed in the post-event press conference that ‘The Black Beast’ asked him to dial the POTUS.

At the UFC Nashville post-fight press conference, Dana White stated that he was the one that set up the call. He said, “Derrick came over and said, ‘Where is the President?’ I said, ‘He’s not here tonight,’ I said, ‘But he’s watching.’ And I got on the phone and put him on the phone with him.” It’s tradition these days for fighters to seek the blessings of the POTUS, given what a huge entity the President is in the fight world.

With this, rumors quickly circulated about whether this contact had anything to do with the highly anticipated UFC card at the White House in 2026. Surely, the fans were instantly captivated. One person wrote, “Yeah Mr. President, it’s done. 35 seconds. You’re welcome.” Another wrote, “POTUS knows MMA,” implying Trump wasn’t just calling to congratulate, he may have been scouting talent.

“Probably wants him on the White House card,” another fan theorized. And if that’s the case, Lewis may have punched his ticket to one of the most high-profile UFC events in history, right in front of the White House. But the moment wasn’t without hiccups. As Lewis began his post-fight interview, fans noticed something odd: the UFC appeared to turn off his microphone for the majority of it.

And trust us when we tell you that this move did not sit well with them at all. “Turning off the mic is nasty work,” one commenter wrote. Another person said, “Why even interview him if they’re just going to cut the mic for basically the whole interview? BS.” For someone who just lit up the main event, fans expected the promotion to let Lewis speak his mind.

Still, love poured all over the giant. “Just when I start to lose love for the UFC, The GOAT rejuvenates it,” a fan said. Others simply celebrated the outcome: “What a TKO.” Derrick Lewis, 40, may not be the future, but he is still an important part of the present. And after tonight, he’s a fighter who can call the President of the United States before he even takes off his gloves. To be fair, he also earned it, as he made sure that he would be at his best for this main event fight.

Derrick Lewis was in prime shape for the main event

Of course, that kind of post-fight glow only comes when the work is already done. Lewis didn’t just stroll into UFC Nashville based on his name or previous knockouts; he truly meant business. After years of irregular weight cuts and half-joking statements that he disliked five-round fights, ‘The Black Beast’ finally appeared as a fighter who had put everything he had into this fight.

At the weigh-in, Lewis weighed in at 261 pounds, his lightest since his UFC debut more than a decade ago. It may have seemed like a little detail to most, but it meant a lot to die-hard fans. A fighter who is notorious for both gassing out and flattening opponents had definitely come to fight, not just swing.

Even more telling? Tallison Teixeira, his opponent, stood four inches taller but weighed two pounds less. The change in focus and physicality was difficult to ignore. The payoff was instant. Lewis moved faster, planted better, and produced power with the speed that typically fades with age and mass.

For a 41-year-old heavyweight, he not only survived but also defeated an undefeated prospect. And it wasn’t just luck or legacy that led him there. This version of ‘The Black Beast’ appeared to have trained for every second, even if he only needed 35.