UFC’s KO king, Derrick Lewis, will throw down with jiu-jitsu ace, Jailton Almeida, this Saturday (Nov. 4, 2023) at UFC Sao Paulo inside Ginasio do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
11.
That’s how many times Derrick Lewis has been main event in the last seven years. A three-fight losing streak in the last couple years seemed to indicate an end to Lewis’ main event tenure, but one victory over Marcos Rogerio de Lima and a short-notice opportunity collided to create yet another high-profile opening for “The Black Beast.”
Now, let me pose a question to my readers: how much has Lewis’ game changed in those 11 main events and seven years? If your answer is hardly at all, then you’ll understand why this 11th Lewis breakdown is quite similar to the 10th one, as well as the 8th and 5th. If anyone has spotted some significant differences in Lewis from now to five years ago, well … you should probably start writing yourself or gambling on fights, because you just may be a savant!
All the same, let’s review Lewis’ skill set once more:
Striking
Lewis’ martial arts career began in boxing. While “The Black Beast” may not be known for his head movement or footwork, his ability to shift his weight between massive power punches in combination has proven pivotal to his overall success.
13 years into his pro career, Lewis has a well-established strategy. At first, Lewis generally remains on the outside until he’s ready to explode. From that range, Lewis waits for his moment, usually far enough away to avoid any big shots from his opponent. Suddenly, Lewis charges forward with surprising speed, usually with a charging high kick or jumping switch kick. When the 265+-pound “Black Beast” slams his whole leg into his opponent, it makes an impact. Plus, the result of that kick is that his opponent must plant his feet and block, which leaves them in range for the ensuing bombs. If the kick instead knocks him off-balance, his opponent is in poor position to trade shots with Lewis.
Last time out, Lewis’ explosion out of the gate immediately ended the fight. He ran forward and jumped into a flying knee, cracking de Lima in the jaw and breaking his teeth. A hail of ground strikes finished the contest.
His bout against Aleksei Oleinik ended similarly. Lewis pretty much copied Walt Harris directly by opening the second round with a jump knee to the chest. As Oleinik stumbled backward, Lewis stepped into a big swing, knocking the Russian veteran down to the mat.
Against Curtis Blaydes, Lewis sold out entirely on the idea of countering Blaydes’ takedown attempts. Seriously, he threw almost nothing as Blaydes landed hard straight punches and thudding low kicks nearly at will. It seemed like a disastrous decision until Lewis perfectly timed an uppercut on the shot, becoming the first man to truly put Blaydes to sleep with strikes.
Outside of the sudden distance kicks, Lewis will burst forward in a good stance and can throw balanced punches and combinations. On the offensive, he’s able to string together powerful punches, which makes him rather dangerous in short bursts.
Often, Lewis punches himself into the clinch, where he can dirty box. That’s something that Lewis does quite well, as he’ll work the body (every once in a while) and head with big hooks. He often will use his left hand to frame/grab his opponent’s arm or head, using that arm to control and set up the big right hand. Lastly, in his bout with Roy Nelson, Lewis commonly went to the double-collar tie and knees to the body, a technique proven to work opposite “Big Country.”
The counter right hand is another preferred technique of Lewis. When his opponent tries to throw a right hand, Lewis will throw at the same time while ducking his head off the center-line. If timed well, Lewis lands his power shot while his opponent leans forward, which has real potential to end the bout. Finally, Lewis can definitely hold his own in a brawl. If things get ugly, Lewis can bite down on his mouthpiece and trade hard shots. Above all else, Lewis’ ability to generate a ton of power while completely fatigued is legendary.
Lewis’ recent loss to Gane was a classic example of Lewis getting shut down. He’s just not a technical striker at range or in the pocket, so when Lewis faces someone who is — like Gane, Junior dos Santos, or Alexander Volkov — he tends to spend long amounts of time just eating shots, unsure of how to respond if the initial lunge or jump kick doesn’t connect.
That’s rarely a recipe for victory.
Wrestling
Despite his ferocious punching power, Lewis is definitely willing to look for takedowns of his own. They’re rarely all that technical, but Lewis is more than strong enough to finish a shot if he’s able to get into decent position.
Lewis gains top position in several situations. On occasion, he’ll look to catch a kick and throw his man off-balance. Alternatively, Lewis will change levels against the fence and look to lift his foe with a double-leg takedown. Against Tai Tuivasa, Lewis actually twice managed to score an inside trip takedown along the fence. It’s perhaps the first real technical development he’s shown in years!
Most commonly, he reverses his opponent’s takedown attempts. Few men with wrestling backgrounds are willing to stand and trade with “Black Beast,” meaning they try to immediately drop for takedowns. As a result, their shots eventually get sloppy with fatigue, allowing Lewis to dig an underhook and force opponents to their back.
Once on top, Lewis is absolutely devastating. He dives into guard with huge punches, will stack his opponent to strike, and has passed into mount to finish as well. It’s the absolute worst position to be in opposite the Texan, whose size pins his opponent to the mat and leaves them unable to avoid his heavy hands. Scrambling out from underneath him seems nearly impossible and definitely exhausting, meaning his tired foe isn’t likely to escape the onslaught.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Lewis doesn’t do jiu-jitsu … he just stands back up.
To stand back up, Lewis needs one of two things. First and foremost, if he’s able to gain an underhook, Lewis will bide his time before standing up and lifting his foe with the underhook. His opponent could conceivably attempt to snatch up his neck in the process or keep him pinned with a heavy overhook, but both are difficult against such a big man.
Alternatively, Lewis will look to stiff arm his opponent. If he can get a frame on his opponent’s arm pit, it’s easy for Lewis to create space and get his foe’s weight off him. Lewis’ size and build help quite a bit here. He’s a broad man with something of a belly, meaning most Heavyweights aren’t able to find an easy position to balance in mount nor wrap up a tight body triangle.
Daniel Cormier was able to control Lewis, but he did it by taking Lewis right back down as “Black Beast” stood up. Most Heavyweights do not have the wrestling skill or conditioning to continually chain takedowns and mat returns, which is why Lewis’ “just get up!” is often so effective.
Conclusion
What’s funny about this match up is that both men are wildly predictable. Almeida does the same thing every fight to the same absurd extent that Lewis does, so the only real question here is this: which man’s default game plan actually works?!?
Andrew Richardson, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt, is a professional fighter who trains at Team Alpha Male in Sacramento, California. In addition to learning alongside world-class talent, Andrew has scouted opponents and developed winning strategies for several of the sport’s most elite fighters.
This story originally appeared on MMA Mania
