LAS VEGAS -- Derrick Lewis gonna Derrick Lewis. And that's how the UFC's 2021 will come to an end.
Lewis (26-8) took sole position of the No. 1 spot on the UFC's all-time knockout list on Saturday, as he took out Chris Daukaus (12-4) via KO at 3:36 of the opening round. The heavyweight fight headlined the final UFC Fight Night event of the year inside the Apex facility in Las Vegas.
Lewis, of Houston, patiently stalked Daukaus around the Octagon before unloading a flurry along the fence. Daukaus survived the early onslaught and lunged forward into the clinch. Lewis eventually shrugged him off and connected a heavy right hand that put him out (watch Lewis vs. Daukaus on ESPN+). It marks Lewis' 13th knockout in the UFC, which is the most of all time.
Immediately after the win, Lewis removed the cup from his shorts and threw it into the small crowd inside the Apex.
UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Daukaus
All fights from UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Daukaus are available to watch on ESPN+.
• Derrick Lewis vs. Chris Daukaus
• Stephen Thompson vs. Belal Muhammad
• Amanda Lemos vs. Angela Hill
• Raphael Assunção vs. Ricky Simón
• Diego Ferreira vs. Mateusz Gamrot
• Cub Swanson vs. Darren Elkins
• Dustin Stoltzfus vs. Gerald Meerschaert
• Justin Tafa vs. Harry Hunsucker
• Sijara Eubanks vs. Melissa Gatto
• Charles Jourdain vs. Andre Ewell
• Raquel Pennington vs. Macy Chiasson
• Don'Tale Mayes vs. Josh Parisian
• Jordan Leavitt vs. Matt Sayles
Watch the complete card on ESPN+
"One day, it'll be an NFT and I'll make some money off that s---," Lewis said.
Daukaus, a former police officer from Philadelphia, approached the fight with caution. He spent the first half of the opening round circling away from Lewis' notorious power and throwing feints. Lewis didn't respect any of it, however, as he slowly closed distance and let loose with combinations.
It was a massive bounce-back win for Lewis, who suffered a knockout defeat to Ciryl Gane in an interim heavyweight title fight in August in his hometown. Lewis admitted the pressure got to him in that bout, and he was happy to finish up 2021 with a landmark win.
"Feels real good," Lewis said. "All I wanted to do was keep moving forward."
SOURCE : Espn
