Derrick Lewis glad to be ‘combating taxi cab drivers’ in UFC: ‘I ain’t making an attempt to get no title shot, hell nah’

[ad_1] Derrick Lewis is again — and he is aware of his place within the present UFC heavyweight division.

The fan-favorite Lewis hasn't fought since since incomes a third-round knockout of Rodrigo Nascimento in Might 2024, nonetheless "The Black Beast" returns to motion on July 12 when he steps into his thirteenth profession UFC most important occasion, headlining UFC Nashville reverse Tallison Teixeira. A profitable evening for Lewis would put him on his first win streak since 2021.

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Presently seated No. 9 within the UFC heavyweight rankings, Lewis mentioned Tuesday on Uncrowned's "The Ariel Helwani Present" that he is content material taking his time beating relative promotional newcomers like Teixeira.

"I ain't making an attempt to get no title shot, hell nah," Lewis mentioned. "I need to simply proceed combating taxi cab drivers proper now. Then we are able to begin speaking about title photographs.

"We'll see how lively they attempt to preserve me."

Lewis, 40, was anticipated to combat sooner, as he was beforehand scheduled to face Alexander Romanov this previous November. Shortly after the bout was made official, UFC modified Lewis' opponent to Jhonata Diniz, however then that combat fell by means of when Lewis suffered a non-weight-related medical subject on weigh-in day.

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When discussing the withdrawal, Lewis joked about extreme cramps as his purpose for not combating. After months of "begging," Lewis is solely glad to get again within the Octagon and did not care who it got here in opposition to.

"Lots of guys did not need to combat, and the fellows that did, they already had fights booked. It is different stuff that is behind it. It is politics. It is also scripted," Lewis mentioned, joking. "It is a part of the script. You realize, the entire UFC is scripted. It is a part of the plan. On July 12, they need me to win, first-round knockout, so it is a part of the script. Whoever wanna make that wager, go forward and make that wager.

"It did not matter who [was next]," Lewis continued. "The Dominican dude that say he is not Black, he is Dominican, he referred to as me out (Waldo Cortes-Acosta). I might need to combat him. That might have been good to combat him in March, every time they had been on the lookout for a most important occasion then. I needed to combat him then. I have been coaching for 4 months straight."

When Lewis broke the UFC's all-time document for many knockout wins (14) in opposition to Marcos Rogerio de Lima in 2023, he had completed his UFC contract. His ensuing — albeit temporary — free company interval led Lewis to entertain the concept of a rematch in opposition to his outdated foe, Francis Ngannou, within the PFL. However in the end the UFC's provide was higher, and locked Lewis in for eight extra fights on the time of signing. He now has six left.

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Lewis has challenged for UFC gold on two events, shedding by way of rear-naked choke to Daniel Cormier in 2018 after which shedding to Ciryl Gane in 2021 for the interim title. The Texan by no means anticipated he'd be combating into his 40s, however with this present trajectory, he can see his profession extending for one more decade.

"I can proceed combating these taxi-cab fighters, these newcomers coming in who need to get their title," Lewis mentioned. "I like combating guys like that proper now. Maintain 'em coming.

"As soon as they hit me with that contract, I mentioned, 'S***, I might combat till I am 50. Let's go. Let's do it.'"

Assuming Lewis does stick round for years to return, you'd suppose one other eventual title shot would enter his thoughts if he finds success. With all of the turmoil atop the division between the champions Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall, nonetheless, Lewis could not be any much less involved with discovering his method into the combination.

"I do not give a rattling what they obtained happening," Lewis mentioned of the UFC heavyweight title image. "S***, I am barely within the prime 10. I am method down there. I am no one proper now. So I am not frightened about them. If that is what they need to do, allow them to try this."