DERRICK LEWIS

Hailing from New Orleans and later basing himself in Houston, Derrick Lewis developed his skills under the guidance of George Foreman. This American heavyweight holds the organization record for most knockouts, utilizing a powerful orthodox approach. Before reaching the world stage, he secured the Legacy FC heavyweight championship. Since entering the UFC in 2014, he has squared off against premier opponents, including championship bouts against Ciryl Gane and Daniel Cormier. His career is defined by immense striking strength and a knack for scrambling back to his feet when faced with ground pressure.

Entering this event with a professional mark of 29-14-0 and one no-contest, Lewis faces a challenging recent stretch. He dropped his most recent appearance to Josh Hokit and a January 2026 clash with Waldo Cortes-Acosta. Before these setbacks, he earned a TKO victory over Tallison Teixeira in July 2025 and defeated Rodrigo Nascimento in May 2024. This follows his unanimous decision loss against Jailton Almeida in late 2023.