Dana White says Derrick Lewis is not at risk of being cut from the UFC roster after his loss to Serghei Spivac.
After UFC Vegas 68 this past Saturday, Lewis finds himself on a three-fight losing skid for the first time in his professional career. That comes after the ‘Black Beast’ was steamrolled by Spivac, who submitted him by arm-triangle choke in the first round of their fight. For the UFC president, the performance from Spivac was an eye-opener.
“Listen, I have a lot of respect for Derrick Lewis,” said White at his post-fight press conference. “I love the guy. And he got manhandled tonight. Spivac looked really good. He made a big statement tonight.”
With the loss, Lewis’ status at the top of the UFC heavyweight division has come into question. Prior to his fight with Spivac, the 37-year-old said he could ‘still be in the top five,’ despite being 1-4 in his past five appearances.
Though some believe his stock has fallen, others, including White, see things differently for Lewis.
“Not with me,” said White. “I love the guy. I love him, so he’s not going anywhere.”
As for the ‘Polar Bear,’ he told Michael Bisping in his post-fight interview that he deserved a ‘big name’ next. When pressed for a name, Spivac called out a former two-time champion.
“I want Jon Jones,” said Spivac. “I think this is good. Jon Jones, I respect you so much. Sorry, bro, but I’m coming.”
About the author: Kristen King is a writer for Bloody Elbow. She has covered combat sports since 2016. (full bio)
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