As Derrick Lewis prepares himself to fight for interim gold against Ciryl Gane, we look back at an iconic win. ‘The Black Beast’ was knocking at the door of a title shot all the way back in 2017 when he faced Travis Browne. Chiefly, there was a lot of latent heat going on between both men in the lead-up to the contest.

The animosity came to a head when Derrick Lewis finished Travis Browne in devastating fashion. Barring his knockout of Alexander Volkov, Lewis’ win over Browne remains atop the mind of every fight fan. Let’s take a look back at this defining moment in Lewis’ storied UFC career.

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The KO King strikes again

The fight started in typical fashion to many Derrick Lewis fights. That is to say, he was losing the early exchanges. Travis Browne used his imposing reach to keep Derrick Lewis at bay and began snipping away at Lewis. The Houston native was hurt to the body, and he quickly began to shell up in order to minimize further damage.

Travis Browne’s steep kicks and sidekicks are something that has slowed down several opponents and Lewis was no different. Not to mention, this was before Derrick Lewis had undergone successful back surgery to improve his overall conditioning. Travis Browne looked to capitalize on Lewis’ seemingly declining state until the tables suddenly turned.

Lewis suddenly caught Browne with a flurry of punches that were initially blocked by the Hawaiian until the flight hit the canvas. Travis Browne made his way back to his feet, but not for long as he was hammered with a power shot by Lewis. Referee Mario Yamasaki was criticized heavily by fans for what was a late stoppage as Lewis landed thunderous punches on his unconscious opponent.

Lewis’ power turned out to be the great equalizer and his reign as the knockout king continues to this day. His post-fight celebration was one that fans remember as it went a long way to bookend his rivalry with Browne.

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