LAS VEGAS – Derrick Lewis is surprised that Ilir Latifi wants to face him.
Latifi (14-7 MMA, 7-5 UFC) will move up to heavyweight and take on former UFC heavyweight title challenger Lewis (22-7 MMA, 13-5 UFC) at UFC 247 in Houston on Feb. 8, where Latifi will make the move up from 205 pounds.
Speaking to MMA Junkie and other reporters Saturday backstage at UFC 245, Lewis said he actually thought the short and stocky Latifi would move down a weight class, not up.
“It was a real surprise that they chose Latifi because I believe that he was a small 205-er and for anything, he should have went down to 185 instead of coming up to heavyweight,” Lewis said. “And I heard that he had called me out, and wanted to fight me, so it was a real surprise to me, that he wanted to pick the biggest guy in the division, like the fattest guy in the division.”
Latifi has struggled as of late, suffering back-to-back losses to Corey Anderson and Volkan Oezdemir. He hopes to find new life at heavyweight, but Lewis doesn’t see him bringing anything to the table that he hasn’t seen before.
“I know he’s an explosive guy, he’s a wrestler or what. I don’t think he’ll be any different than anyone else,” Lewis said.
Derrick Lewis surprised Ilir Latifi moved up, wanted to fight 'biggest guy in the division'