Derrick Lewis knocked out Rodrigo Nascimento in the main event of UFC St. Louis, marking his fifteenth knockout in the UFC and extending his own record for most in the promotion’s history, after which he threw his fight-worn cup into the crowd as a message to his critics.
Derrick Lewis sure knows how to silence the naysayers. He did it again last Saturday, and boy, was it something! He knocked out Rodrigo Nascimento in the UFC St. Louis main event. A knockout, you ask? Yeah, but not just any knockout. It was his fifteenth in the UFC, setting a new record.
And then came the celebration. If you’ve seen Lewis fight before, you know what’s coming. Off come the pants, as usual. But wait, there’s more this time. Off comes the fight-worn cup too, and into the crowd it goes. But not just anywhere in the crowd. He aimed for media row.
Why media row? Lewis had a reason. He shared it at the UFC St. Louis post-fight press conference. “You know, because y’all boys always talking shit,” he said. “Every now and then I’ve got to throw y’all under the bus like y’all do me. ‘Oh, Derrick don’t got it anymore! Blah blah blah!’ Mmhmm.”
One brave soul in the media didn’t seem to mind. He picked up the cup, got it signed by Lewis and UFC CEO Dana White. Lewis assured him there’s nothing wrong with his fight gear. “Shit, it smells fresh. Baby, my balls don’t stink, right?” he said, addressing his wife in the crowd. “Thank you. Don’t try to stunt.”
The win was a big deal for Lewis. He’s still in the UFC’s heavyweight top 15, and he beat a rising contender. Not exactly how he planned it, but a win’s a win. “I was really waiting for the fifth round then explode on him, but the opportunity was there,” Lewis said. “He didn’t let me catch my breath, that’s why I had to finish him. I was trying to catch my breath, then wait it out.”
What’s next for Lewis? He’s not sure yet. He’s got six fights left on his UFC contract. He’s happy to see those through, but he’s also considering some crossover work with WWE. After all, UFC and WWE are under the same banner now. “That’s what we’re supposed to be doing in a few weeks, maybe,” Lewis said. “Going to Orlando and checking the facility out.”
“I wouldn’t stop here in the UFC, but I would like to dibble dab in WWE.”