USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, Feb. 23: Derrick Lewis inches closer to top

Call him a one-trick pony if you like, but it’s time to give Derrick Lewis his due.

“The Black Beast” picked up one of the biggest wins of his career at this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night 185, scoring an absolutely brutal knockout of top contender Curtis Blaydes (14-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC). With the result, Lewis (25-7 MMA, 16-5 UFC) now boasts a four-fight winning streak and has proven he belongs at the top of the division.

Lewis steps up to No. 3 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie heavyweight rankings, trailing only UFC champion Stipe Miocic and current No. 1 contender Francis Ngannou.

Check out the new look of the heavyweight division, as well as slight move in the women’s bantamweight class in the newest edition of the rankings above.