Derrick Lewis pretty much only had one way to win his pivotal fight against Curtis Blaydes Saturday night, and he won it the only way he could.
During the second round of a fight that was being dominated by Blaydes on the judge’s scorecards, Lewis landed a thunderous uppercut as Blaydes came in low for a takedown.
Much was made of Blaydes’ superior wrestling ability and the fact that he would look for takedown opportunities early and often. Therefore, it was no surprise that Lewis stood there waiting, having correctly anticipated the moment, and tagging Blaydes directly on the chin as he lowered his head.
To add insult to injury, Lewis ran over and hammered Blaydes two additional times before an out-of-position Herb Dean could get over to stop the fight.
The victory marked the fourth consecutive win for Lewis.