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Few fighters inspire trepidation quite like Derrick Lewis, a 6-foot-3, 265-pound mountain of a man whose punches often carry force comparable to a Mack Truck.
Lewis has fixed his sights on one of the Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight division’s big fish, as he will face Junior dos Santos in the UFC Fight Night 146 main event on Saturday at Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas. The onetime Legacy Fighting Championship titleholder finds himself on the rebound following a submission loss to Daniel Cormier in November, the setback halting his run of three consecutive victories. Since joining the UFC roster in 2014, Lewis has compiled a 12-4 record that includes wins over former champions from Bellator MMA (Alexander Volkov), M-1 Global (Marcin Tybura), and the International Fight League (Roy Nelson).
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As “The Black Beast” approaches his high-stakes battle with dos Santos, here are five things you should know about him:
1. He hit rock bottom.
Lewis spent three and a half years in prison in his early 20s, his incarceration the result of a probation violation related to an aggravated assault charge.
2. He was seasoned by MMA’s minor leagues.
Lewis made his professional mixed martial arts debut at a Worldwide Gladiator event on April 9, 2010, in Pasadena, Texas. He went 9-2 with one no-contest in 12 appearances on the regional MMA scene before signing with the UFC.
3. Punching power butters his bread.
Lewis boasts 18 victories by knockout or technical knockout. They account for 86 percent of his career total. His 10 KOs under the UFC banner tie him with Cain Velasquez for most on the promotion’s all-time list among heavyweights.
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4. His fights can end in a flash.
Lewis has seven first-round finishes to his credit. His list of victims includes Gabriel Gonzaga, Damian Grabowski, Carlos Augusto Inocente Filho, and Jack May.
5. He has tricks up his sleeve.
Lewis recorded his only submission win in November 2010, when he tapped Rakim Cleveland with a second-round armbar.
