The recent weigh-in for Derrick Lewis’ fight against Rodrigo Nascimento at UFC St. Louis has brought to light a unique statistic in Lewis’ career. For the first time in his extensive professional fighting tenure, Lewis is set to face an opponent who weighs just one pound more than him, with both fighters hovering around the heavyweight limit.
Derrick Lewis, often referred to as ‘The Black Beast,’ is a towering figure in the UFC heavyweight division, standing at 6 feet 3 inches tall and typically weighing in around 264 pounds. Nascimento, his upcoming opponent, weighed in at 265 pounds, marking the first instance in Lewis’ 39-fight career, including 28 UFC appearances, where he has faced an opponent with a weight advantage, albeit minimal.
This statistic underscores Lewis’ physical presence and strength in the heavyweight division, where he has established himself as a formidable force over the years. Despite experiencing recent setbacks in his career, including a unanimous decision loss to Jailton Almeida and a TKO defeat to Ciryl Gane in an interim title bout, Lewis remains one of the division’s most recognizable and respected fighters.
Lewis’ journey to the UFC St. Louis main event has not been without challenges. He has openly discussed the grueling process of weight cutting, highlighting the physical toll and sacrifices fighters endure to meet weight requirements.
In a past interview, Lewis recounted a harrowing experience where he nearly passed out while cutting weight for a fight, emphasizing the intensity of the preparation process leading up to bouts.
As Lewis prepares to enter his 29th UFC heavyweight fight, he continues to rank among the division’s most experienced competitors, second only to Andrei Arlovski in terms of total appearances. With his upcoming matchup against Nascimento, Lewis looks to leverage his size, skill, and experience to return to the win column and reaffirm his status as a top contender in the UFC’s heavyweight.
