2022 hasn’t been kind to Derrick Lewis. The former UFC title contender is on a two-fight skid, both of which he lost via stoppage.
“The Black Beast” is now looking to end the year on a high note as he faces Sergey Spivak at the main event of UFC Vegas 65 this weekend.
“This year has not been my year, so it be good if I can keep the [APEX win] streak going. This year hasn’t been my year, and I want to end the year off with a bang, and it’d be great to do it here in Vegas,” he said during this week’s media day (quotes via MMA Mania).
Lewis ascended to mainstream MMA superstardom over the years because of his personality and knockout power. But he knows he isn’t getting any younger and he feels the pressure of maintaining a winning streak.
“My back is against the wall now,” said the 37-year-old Lewis. “I don’t want to lose three straight fights in a row. I don’t really even want to lose one fight. So I take it hard on myself every time I lose a fight.
“I don’t stop thinking about my last fight until I get a new fight. And so I’m just tired of thinking about my last fight, it being some B.S., the way it ended. So I just wanted to come out this week. Give it all I’ve got.
“I’m almost at the end of my career now. I don’t want there to be any woulda, coulda, shoulda. I want to have everything all set and done.”
UFC Vegas 65 happens at the APEX. Co-headlining the event is a light heavyweight bout between Ion Cutelaba and Kennedy Nzechukwu.
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