"I don't plan on it standing up the whole time" - Derrick Lewis outlines plan to deal with Jailton Almeida's grappling prowess at UFC Sao Paulo
Derrick Lewis recently weighed in on his upcoming fight against Jailton Almeida and outlined his plan to deal with the jiu-jitsu savant's grappling prowess. Lewis is among the most well-known heavyweight fighters in MMA and holds the record for most knockouts in UFC history.
'The Black Beast' will face Almeida in a heavyweight contest in the main event of UFC Sao Paulo this weekend. While the Brazilian was initially booked against Curtis Blaydes, Lewis had to step in on short notice after 'Razor' picked up an injury that ruled him out of the fight.
In a recent pre-fight interview with ESPN MMA, Derrick Lewis was asked about his main concerns going into the bout. He replied:
"I don't know. I plan for the fight to go to the ground. I don't plan on it standing up the whole time. So, if it goes to the ground, be calm, be patient, and just wait till my moment comes. Either I go for a submission, or I stand back up."
Catch Lewis' comments below ( 3:34):
Derrick Lewis is coming off an impressive first-round TKO win over Marcos Rogerio de Lima at UFC 291 in July. The victory stopped his three-fight losing streak against Tai Tuivasa, Sergei Pavlovich and Sergey Spivak. He has a professional record of 27-11-1.
Derrick Lewis hilariously addresses his recent reckless driving arrest
Derrick Lewis recently found himself in some trouble with the law. 'The Black Beast' was arrested on charges of reckless driving last week in Houston. He allegedly drove a red Lamborghini at 136 miles per hour in a 50 mph zone.
Given that the incident transpired just days before his fight against Jailton Almeida, many were concerned about him potentially pulling out. However, there was no such trouble, and Lewis traveled to Brazil without any issues.
It's important to note that reckless driving counts as a misdemeanor offense. As a result, Derrick Lewis was released from custody on the same day after he paid a $100 "personal recognizance" bond. While he isn't in custody, he has been handed a court date for next month. If convicted, the knockout artist could be handed a 30-day prison sentence and a $200 fine.
In a recent pre-fight media day presser, Lewis was asked to comment on his arrest. He joked about the arrest being a case of mistaken identity and said:
"Nah, I don’t even think that was me. That guy had hair. You seen the picture? I don’t got no hair. That ain’t me."