Tonight Derrick Lewis headlines UFC Vegas 6 to take on submission specialist Aleksei Oleinik. While doing the media rounds ahead of the bout ‘The Black Beast’ claimed a separate European heavyweight, with oodles of fights on his record, turned down the chance to fight him.
“I already fought just about everybody in the Top 10,” said Lewis (ht MMA Mania). “The only guys I haven’t fought are Overeem and [Blaydes]. I’ve been asking to fight Curtis and Overeem. Overeem turned me down like three times in this past month before Oleinik popped up.”
Alistair Overeem’s ears must have been burning. The former Strikeforce, DREAM and K-1 champion was quick to shoot down Lewis’ claim that he turned down the chance to fight him.
Why would I turn you down ? (Easy paycheck ) https://t.co/SSqOl02n0z
— Alistair Overeem (@Alistairovereem) August 7, 2020
‘The Reem’ took to twitter to say, “Why would I turn you down? (Easy paycheck).”
The last time we saw Overeem he defeated Walt Harris by TKO in the main event of UFC on ESPN 8—inside the UFC’s short-lived Jacksonville bubble. Prior to that he lost to Jairzinho Rozenstruik by KO. Before that fight he beat the man Lewis faces tonight. Last year in the main event of UFC on ESPN+ 7 in Saint Petersburg, Russia Overeem defeated Oleinik via first round TKO.
Lewis will look to stretch his win streak to three fights tonight. Previously he beat Ilir Latifi and Blagoy Ivanov. Those wins were off the back of back to back losses to Junior dos Santos (TKO) and Daniel Cormier (submission).
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