Derrick Lewis is willing to oblige Curtis Blaydes’ request for a fight after UFC 244.
Just moments after Lewis (22-7 MMA, 13-5 UFC) earned a split decision victory over Blagoy Ivanov on Saturday, Blaydes (12-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC), who was seated cageside for the heavyweight contest at Madison Square Garden in New York, sent out some criticism of “The Black Beast.”
Blaydes expressed that he felt Lewis wasn’t a difficult matchup for him, but he wants to stay busy and it’s a logical booking given where both men are ranked in the UFC heavyweight division (via Twitter):
Ion usually do call outs but Derrick Lewis is easy money, y’all thought DC rag dolled him Ima make him tap to takedowns #Gimmeacontract
When Lewis, No. 5 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie MMA heavyweight rankings, arrived backstage at UFC 244 following his win, he was asked about the tweet from No. 6-ranked Blaydes and threat to make him “tap to takedowns.”
Never one to back down to a fight, Lewis promptly accepted and, as always, predicted a knockout win in his favor.
“That’s fine, it would be a good fight Curtis Blaydes,” Lewis said. “He’d take me down, but I’m going to rest, get all the rest I can get then I’m going to get up and knock his ass out. Well I’m going to try to knock him out, but I don’t think he’s tough enough like the booty hole dude I just fought.”
Derrick Lewis welcomes Curtis Blaydes' threat to make him 'tap to takedowns' after UFC 244