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Derrick Lewis reacts after his TKO victory over Rodrigo Nascimento of Brazil in a heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Enterprise Center on May 11, 2024 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)
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Derrick Lewis’ 30th Octagon Showdown

Heavyweight Derrick Lewis Returns For His 30th Appearance In The Octagon At UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs Albazi Against Jhonata Diniz

When Derrick Lewis steps into the Octagon, those watching usually can expect one thing: a knockout. The UFCs all-time knockout record holder faces Jhonata Diniz this Saturday at UFC Edmonton, in what will be his second fight of 2024 and third fight in 12 months. 

It’s also his 30th UFC appearance, which is the second most in UFC heavyweight history, and when asked about it he joked. 

“That’s crazy, I’m probably gonna have to have a psych ward (Laughs) talk to me pretty soon if I keep having all these fights, a lot of trauma.” 

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As for his KO record, it’s not something he considers too important. 

“I don’t even think about it,” Lewis said. “Whenever its fight week, then y’all keep reminding me about the record. Other than that, I don’t even think about it.”

Derrick Lewis punches Rodrigo Nascimento of Brazil in a heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Enterprise Center on May 11, 2024 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)
Derrick Lewis punches Rodrigo Nascimento of Brazil in a heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Enterprise Center on May 11, 2024 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)

In his last outing, “The Black Beast” recorded knockout number 15 in the third round against Rodrigo Nascimento. It was a huge win personally for Lewis as he felt disrespected. 

“It was very important for me to get that victory over a guy like that because I felt like he shouldn’t have been in the cage with me and so I had to go out there and really perform to the best of my ability.”

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It was a strong performance for Lewis. He opened the fight with a head kick, followed by a takedown, but Nascimento got back to his feet quickly. Lewis was clearly a step ahead on the feet, landing multiple right hands throughout the contest, while Nascimento was looking to clinch.

“I just went in there and felt 100% confident about everything that I’ve been doing in the gym, and mentally, I felt like I had nothing to lose,” Lewis explained to UFC.com.

Derrick Lewis | Greatest Hits
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Derrick Lewis | Greatest Hits
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“Just not putting pressure on myself. So, I just went in there and was really relaxed.”

Through his 29 UFC bouts, Lewis has been in the main event 11 times, but he’s jokingly said he’d rather not be in the main event because he is not a fan of five rounds. This time around, he’s on the main card slated for a three-rounder, which is more exciting for him. 

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“I believe it’s perfect. Hopefully everybody doesn’t even watch (Laughs), that’d be perfect.” 

Regarding his matchup against Diniz, it’s a fascinating bout between a veteran and two-time title challenger in Lewis, and a former Glory kickboxer who has climbed to 8-0 (3-0 in UFC) in professional MMA. 

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Lewis has major power in his right hand that can put anyone on the canvas. He’s proven to have strong defensive grappling, but likely won’t need it Saturday. On the other side, Diniz looks like the new era of heavyweights, bringing a high level Muay Thai and kickboxing background with speed. 

“I got to watch the leg kicks; I know he’s going to try a lot of leg kicks to try to take my power away. And I got to watch out for his hooks and stuff like that, and they say he’s got a little speed to him.”

As UFC Edmonton approaches, fans can expect fireworks in this heavyweight fight on the main card. With Lewis’s power and Diniz’s technical ability, this promises to be a thriller. 

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UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs Albazi took place live from Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on November 2, 2024. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!