Derrick Lewis, a UFC knockout specialist, stands out as one of the roster’s most naturally amusing fighters. His distinctive and occasionally explicit remarks have endeared ‘The Black Beast’ to fans, making him a genuine crowd-pleaser. Although fans of the UFC’s heavyweight division probably include Lewis among their favorite fighters. It is his actions both preceding and following his fights that truly make him a true fan-favorite fighter.
Lately, a picture has been going viral where Lewis is seen eating a plate of chicken and a full rack of ribs before his fight. The image in question is from 2017 at UFC Fight Night 110 backstage at Auckland’s Vector Arena in New Zealand. The main event for the fight was between UFC heavyweight contenders Mark ‘The Super Samoan’ Hunt and Derrick Lewis.
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MMA coach Robert Follis was in the backstage locker room with Lewis and observed the heavyweight devouring his lavish and high-calorie meal before his five-round bout. He was the one who clicked the famous picture that went viral on the internet in no time in 2017. However, surprisingly enough, the image has surfaced on the internet yet again, and fans find it equally funny even now.
What happened in the fight between Derrick Lewis and Mark Hunt?
Mark Hunt put an end to Derrick Lewis’ impressive six-fight winning streak in the UFC’s heavyweight division in their much-hyped fight in 2017. Competing in front of his hometown fans, Hunt (13-14-1) secured a TKO victory over Lewis (27-11) at 3:51 of the fourth round during the main event of UFC Fight Night at New Zealand’s Vector Arena.
Hunt, aged 43 then, expertly controlled the fight, pressing Lewis against the fence and delivering punishing body shots. Referee Marc Goddard stopped the fight despite Lewis remaining on his feet, and Lewis didn’t dispute the decision.
TKO!
The Super Samoan @markhunt1974 finishes off @thebeast_ufc with a flurry in the third round! #UFCAuckland https://t.co/8F1K7JtNBF
— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) June 11, 2017
Although he had an age advantage of 11 years, Lewis showed signs of fatigue as early as the second round, lowering his hands to his hips and leaving his chin exposed. While Lewis initially found some success with low and high kicks. This approach might have been a factor in depleting his energy reserves. Now that the image is going viral, fans are confused about whether the heavy meal of ribs and chicken contributed to the fatigue of the UFC veteran.
The two-time UFC heavyweight title contender has now accepted the opportunity to step in for Curtis Blaydes in a five-round battle against Jailton Almeida in Brazil on November 4.