Derrick Lewis will probably go down in the history of combat sports as one of the biggest and strangest tragic heroes. Once thought to be a serious threat for the title, the people’s champ has lost 4 fights in a row and doesn’t look like his past self anymore. The UFC rankings have adjusted his place accordingly following the loss.
Earlier two-division champ and UFC legend Daniel Cormier had some cautionary predictions, “I don’t know if Spivac is the guy. I’m trying not to insult Serghei Spivac, because I like the kid. I think he’s a nice guy. I think he’s a good fighter. … He’s still losing to the guys that are ranked very highly, and I just don’t know if Serghei is quite at that level.
“So, I’m gonna tap in that Derrick Lewis wins the fight. I think he’s gonna knock him out, but I do believe that – I think Derrick’s done at the top. I think Derrick’s absolutely done at the top of the division. I just don’t know if he still can’t knock out No. 10, 11, 12, 13, because I just don’t think those guys are as good as they are,” he concluded.
Unfortunately, DC was kinda right and wrong at the same time. ‘The Black Beast’ did not manage to win against Spivac and his only way to defeat the likes of former light-heavyweight champ Jon Jones will probably be a puncher’s chance so we can’t write him off completely.
Why is Derrick Lewis performing so badly?
A lot of success that Derrick Lewis found came through his powerful punches. Unfortunately against proper MMA fighters like Cyril Gane, powerful punchers like Tai Tuivasa, and Ngannou-level sledgehammers like Pavlovich, his tricks don’t really work. In his early days, the Heavyweight division mainly relied on knockout power but things are much different now.
The only consolation we can find in all of this is Dana White’s willingness to keep the currently 10th-ranked heavyweight around despite his failures.
