Derrick Lewis doesn’t really get where Curtis Blaydes was coming from when he claimed the UFC was protecting “The Black Beast.”
The pair throw down in the main event of UFC Vegas 15 (UFC on ESPN 18) this weekend. So clearly, the UFC didn’t protect Lewis (24-7, 1NC) well enough, if that was ever the case. Lewis, for one, certainly doesn’t think so.
“I don’t know what he was thinking, because I’ve already fought just about everybody. I don’t know why he would say that,” Lewis responded during the UFC Vegas 15 media day on Wednesday.
Lots has been made of Blaydes’ wrestling going into this fight. “Hopefully it will just be an exciting fight. Back-and-forth,” said Lewis when asked about his opponent’s wrestling pedigree. “Hopefully it won’t be one-sided, boring. I want to be more entertaining for the main event. I want the crowd, fans to be pleased.” Well, at home anyway. Lewis just doesn’t want anyone changing the channel. No lay n’ pray.
Lewis himself has managed to show an impressive ability to power up from takedowns. But his prediction, in true Derrick Lewis style, was that he would take Blaydes down. “Win by points. Take it to a decision. I think I win by unanimous decision, just wrestling the whole fight.” The secret to him getting back up is “all technique. It’s all in the sauce. If you don’t got the sauce, you wouldn’t understand,” he quipped.
One point that Lewis took more seriously was Blaydes claiming ahead of the fight that he’s predictable. To that, the Houston-based heavyweight replied “Yeah, that’s fine if he thinks I’m predictable. I don’t care. They all know what I’m going to do.” After nearly two-dozen fights in the UFC, he’s heard it all before. “This will be my 21st fight. 21 fights in the UFC, and my game plan, the way I fight, my style hasn’t changed. Guys said the same thing before. And you see that I’m the Knockout King, I guess they’ve been saying. We’ll just see. I’m predictable. Okay. He’s predictable as well.”
If he does get his hand raised come Saturday, Lewis sees one single path moving forward. “I believe I should have the winner out of the Ngannou-Stipe fight,” he opined.
Well, that or a fight with Conor McGregor.
If @TheNotoriousMMA is free after #UFC257 then @Thebeast_ufc wants a piece of the action.
Open weight? Charity?
Full #UFCVegas15 media day scrum ➡️ https://t.co/P1fMqhHHNN pic.twitter.com/AhQTXW1axX
— Cageside Press (@Cagesidepress) November 25, 2020
Watch the full UFC Vegas 15 virtual media day press scrum with Derrick Lewis above. The event takes place this Saturday, November 28, airing live on ESPN. The main card kicks off at 10PM ET.
