Lewis Bailing If Miragliotta Refs UFC Vegas 68

Derrick Lewis has a problem with Dan Miragliotta.

“The Black Beast” is coming off back-to-back knockout losses to Tai Tuivasa and Sergei Pavlovich and both fights were officiated by the longtime mixed martial arts (MMA) referee. Miragliotta was also inside the cage when Lewis was stopped by Ciryl Gane at UFC 265.

Just a coincidence?

“They act like they didn’t see the last fight,” Lewis said during the UFC Vegas 68 media day (transcribed by MMA Junkie). “They’re going to stop the fight all early and this and that, and they’re like, ‘Oh, I don’t know if Derrick still has it.’ Man, come on. Dan Miragliotta or whatever his name is, he’s got a conspiracy out on me. The last two fights I lost, he’s been the ref.”

Lewis (26-10, 1 NC) returns to action against heavyweight up-and-comer Serghei Spivac in the UFC Vegas 68 headliner this weekend at APEX in Las Vegas, but the fight might suffer a second straight cancellation if Lewis gets stuck with Miragliotta as his referee.

It seems heavyweights are sensitive to this sort of thing.

“If he’s the ref on this one I’m going to be like, ‘Nah, I don’t want him,’ and they’re still going to try to put him in the cage,” Lewis continued. “When he says, ‘Fighter, are you ready? Fighter, are you ready?,’ I’m going to say, ‘No.’ We’re going to need Herb Dean or somebody up in there. He ain’t reffing none of my fights. No offense to him. He’s a great guy, I’m pretty sure, but I don’t want him reffing none of my fights.”

Brandon Vera can sympathize.

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