UFC heavyweight Jhonata Diniz did not expect Derrick Lewis’s name to be on the contract the UFC sent him, but he’s set to face him at UFC Edmonton on Saturday night.
“Derrick Lewis is a very big name. Not just in UFC, but around the world when they talk about MMA,” Diniz told reporters including Cageside Press on Wednesday.
“I really (got) surprised because he was booked to fight against another fighter. When the UFC (came) to us and let us know that we come to fight against Derrick Lewis, for us, was big surprise, but we’re ready for him.”
Lewis’s original opponent was Alexadr Romanov, but the UFC rebooked both men. Romanov now faces Rodrigo Nascimento on the same card. That set up Diniz and Lewis who both prefer to stand and strike making it a more exciting fight on paper.
“I think that me against Derrick Lewis…probably this fight (won’t) come to the last round. For sure it’s not (going) to be a boring fight,” he said.
Diniz (8-0) comes into the bout on a two-fight win streak with victories over Austen Lane and Karl Williams. He finished Lane via knockout and now faces the UFC leader in KO’s in Lewis.
“I really don’t think about that because I know how important this fight (is) for me. I know that when I knock him out it will put me in another level in this organization,” he said.
“It really represent a lot for me.”
Watch the entire media day scrum with Jhonata Diniz above. He faces Derrick Lewis at UFC Edmonton on Saturday night.
