Derrick Lewis didn’t realize what he was getting himself into.
2023 didn’t close out how ‘The Black Beast’ had hoped. After Lewis landed a flying knee knockout at UFC 291 to bounce back from a losing skid, he answered a short-notice call within the hopes of his first winning streak in years.
The project was against the charging Jailton Almeida, who was left without an opponent for the UFC Sao Paulo major event on this present day, November 4, two years ago after the late withdrawal of Curtis Blaydes.
Lewis saved the day, but he wouldn’t have agreed to accomplish that had he been presented with all of the facts…
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Derrick Lewis claimed he was ‘tricked’ into accepting UFC Sao Paulo major event on short notice
The event at Ginasio do Ibirapuera marked the UFC’s first trip to Sao Paulo in 4 years. One man who never intended to affix the Octagon in traveling right down to that city or another in Brazil for that matter was Derrick Lewis.
A number of days before the event, ‘The Black Beast’ revealed that Brazil had long been on his blacklist for fight locations owing to the tax rate. Unfortunately, he had accepted the Almeida fight without checking where it was.
“A number of weeks ago we got a call about this guy and I just agreed immediately,” Lewis told FOX Sports Australia. “I didn’t know the fight was in Brazil though. It was only after accepting that they told me.
“I’d all the time said to my manager I’d never fight in Brazil due to the taxes being so bad. So I got tricked into accepting this fight.
“I said I didn’t need to fight here and, since arriving, nothin’ has modified,” he continued. “I can’t wait to go home. I’m mainly fighting for them (the federal government) at once. I’m not getting anything out of it.”
It ended up being a less-than-fruitful trip for Lewis, who was dominated on the bottom for five rounds en path to a one-sided decision loss. With that, he was unable to increase his record tally of knockouts within the UFC.
Note to all fighters — check the situation.
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Derrick Lewis desires to fight UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall
Lewis has rebounded in style since that setback against Almeida.
‘The Black Beast’ has won two major events in a row, the primary of which saw him knock out Rodrigo Nascimento in St. Louis last yr. Then, this past July, Lewis finished Tallison Teixeira in 35 seconds after a controversial stoppage from Jason Herzog.
Before his most up-to-date triumph, the UFC’s knockout king revealed that he hasn’t given up hope of one other title shot and would love to throw down with reigning champion Tom Aspinall before he departs the game.
“That’d be good to fight him before all the things is alleged and done with,” Lewis told MMA Junkie regarding Aspinall.
“I even have a pair fights left on my contract, and I’d love to complete out my contract. That will be great if I can. It’d be good,” he added.