Derrick Lewis is probably Dana White’s hero after stepping up to take the vacant UFC 230 main event spot alongside heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier. Lewis is coming in off a hail Mary knockout win over Alexander Volkov at UFC 229 in the closing seconds of the third round. Cormier is still riding high on his defeat of Stipe Miocic back at UFC 226 via first round KO which made DC the light heavyweight and heavyweight champion simultaneously. Given the quick turnaround for Derrick and the struggle his cardio presented in maintaining his pace it’s not a shock that he isn’t being given more than a puncher’s chance. The criticisms have not gone unnoticed nor has the talk that he will be an ‘easy fight’ for Cormier. Here’s what he told reporters at media day on Thursday.
He’s thinking it’s gonna be an easy fight for his self. But go ahead and think that. It’s just crazy that I even made it this far with the type of training I’ve been putting in before each and every fight. I’m serious. I don’t stay in the gym all day like all my opponents do. I stay for 30 minutes, 35 minutes — and five minutes on my phone posting memes and stuff. But this camp right here, I’ve been really at the gym all day long.
What do you think of Lewis’s chances? They clash at UFC 230 in New York on November 3rd.