Outside Source
Lewis added to his list of knockout victims on Saturday. | Getty/UFC
Derrick Lewis remains as dangerous as they come in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s heavyweight division.
“The Black Beast” dispatched Tallison Teixeira via technical knockout in Saturday’s UFC Nashville headliner at the Bridgestone Arena. The end came just 35 seconds into the bout, after Lewis claimed to have feigned being hurt by a jab before putting his opponent on the defensive.
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“S—t, I was acting like something was in my eye,” Lewis said at the post-fight press conference. “I was waiting on him to get a little closer. He didn’t get close enough the first time, so I really was trying to sell it, make it seem he got me in my eye pretty good. S—t, that’s what happened. I called it. I noticed he was trying to pull himself up with the cage, and I’m like, ‘Man, come on, man. You have me hitting my own leg.’ It was messed up.”
Shortly after Teixeira landed the aforementioned jab, Lewis dropped him with a left hook and swarmed with punches on the canvas. Referee Jason Herzog then stepped in and waved off the contest just as it appeared the Brazilian was returning to his feet. Lewis believes the stoppage was just, however.
“Yes, I expected the ref [to step in],” Lewis said. “The ref should have been stopping it because [Teixeira] went in and out a couple of times before he even started grabbing the cage.”
UFC CEO Dana White had a different view of the finish, but he ultimately didn’t seem particularly upset about the outcome.
“I thought the stoppage was a little fast, you know,” he said. “But it is what it is.”
Lewis Wants to Make Another Championship Run
There was a significant gap in experience between Lewis, who has 30 UFC bouts, and Teixeira, who was making his second Octagon appearance on Saturday night. Lewis isn’t necessarily looking for similar matchups going forward.
“He was the king of the taxi cab drivers in Brazil,” Lewis said. “But no, I don’t want no easy fight like that. Of course, I would like to do one more run at the title. That’d be good.”
Lewis has won three of his last four UFC bouts, and White acknowledged that it doesn’t take much to make a run at contention in the big man’s weight class.
“I think that’s the way the heavyweight division has always been,” White said. “I mean, these guys, you know, they don’t have to cut. Some of them have to cut, but they don’t have to cut a lot of weight.
“And a fight can turn with one punch. Whoever lands that big shot — and they were both trying to land them — and he [Lewis] got ‘em.”
Lewis, who is the UFC’s all-time knockout leader, expected the result he achieved against the previously undefeated Teixeira.
“I know if I throw anything at anybody, no matter what it is, I know that they’re going to go down,” Lewis said.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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