Derrick Lewis Eyes Fight With Former Title Contender

Derrick Lewis has a name in mind for his next fight and is already starting to call him out.

If you recall, following the UFC Austin event that took place at Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas where Lewis picked up a third round TKO victory over top prospect Marcin Tybura, the hard-hitting heavyweight star had a list of names that he wanted to fight. It appears that he has narrowed it down to just one name now.

That opponent is former title contender Francis Ngannou, who is coming off a devastating loss to UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic back in January at UFC 220.

“Yeah hopefully we can get something done this year man,” Lewis told the Slip n’ Dip podcast recently (transcript courtesy of MMA Fighting). “Hopefully we can get something before he turns 50 on us.”

“Usually after every fight I tell [the UFC], ‘I would like to fight this guy,’” Lewis said. “I try to pick the toughest guys out there. I don’t try to pick anybody that’s behind me, I try to pick everybody that’s ahead of me in the rankings. So it’s the top five, top six. I try to pick one of those guys that’s available. I told them Francis, I told them [Alistair] Overeem, even a rematch with Mark [Hunt]. [Curtis] Blaydes. Fabricio [Werdum].”

Keep in mind that this will have to take place after he heals up from his latest comeback as he believes he broke his hand in his latest fight. However, Lewis does have target dates in mind for his next fight.

“I would like to fight hopefully in May or June,” Lewis said. [The International Fight Week card] doesn’t matter, I’d really like to fight earlier than that. . .

“There’s nothing I really want to accomplish. I already set my family up pretty good right now. I don’t care if I ever fight for the belt or get the belt. It’s a job to me, basically. I’m not trying to be the best fighter in the world or nothing like that. I don’t come in trying to think I am the best fighter. I don’t care about none of that. It’s just a job to me.”