Derrick Lewis

Jon Jones says UFC offer of $8-10 million would be way too low; Derrick Lewis responds

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UFC, Jon Jones

The biggest fight the UFC could make right now outside of Conor McGregor – Dustin Poirier 3 is a heavyweight title fight between Francis Ngannou (16-3) and Jon Jones (26-1, 1 NC). That’s a fight that the world wants to see.

For the last couple of months, it was obvious what was coming in the UFC‘s heavyweight division. UFC 260 was headlined between Ngannou and former heavyweight champion, Stipe Miocic (20-4).

The winner of that fight would take on Jon Jones who vacated his light heavyweight title last year to move to heavyweight. While that has been the plan all along, things have hit a brick wall in terms of the financial negotiations.

Things have become so testy between Jones and the UFC that Jones requested his release from the promotion. Today, Jones took to Twitter and seemed to shed a little light on the financial negotiations.

Jones said that the UFC‘s lawyer, Hunter Campbell, called him a few days ago. The former light heavyweight champion said that any offer that was in the range of $8-10 million would be, “Way too low.”

What will the UFC do?

The one thing I will say is that I don’t think it was in Jones’ best interest to let this play out publicly. In reality, while it’s the best fight to make and the biggest fight to make, Jones doesn’t hold a ton of leverage here.

The UFC has a very solid backup option and the backup option is ready to go. That backup option is the popular, Derrick Lewis (25-7, 1 NC). Lewis took to Twitter and made it clear that he would accept the fight for $8 million.

It’s pretty obvious that Lewis would be willing to do it for a lot less than that even. Dana White has already said that Lewis could be the next in line to take on Francis Ngannou if Jones prices himself out of the fight.

With Ngannou wanting to be an active champion, I wouldn’t be shocked if the UFC starts the process of moving on from this fight if things don’t progress. The promotion is targeting August for the return of Ngannou.

Given the current timelines, I would give the negotiations another week or two. If the UFC doesn’t get any closer with Jon Jones, they will move on. One thing we know about Dana White is that he’s not going to bend over backwards to appease Jon Jones.

Who will Francis Ngannou face after UFC 260?

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Francis Ngannou

This past Saturday at UFC 260, Francis Ngannou (16-3) became the heavyweight champion of the world. Ngannou knocked Stipe Miocic (20-4) old cold in the second round to become the undisputed champion.

UFC 260 was the pinnacle for Ngannou who waited nearly two and a half years to get another shot at Miocic. In their first fight, Ngannou showed his inexperience with how wild he was on his way to losing a decision.

Saturday night, Ngannou was calm and composed. He dominated the fight from start to finish and scored the biggest knockout of his career. Ngannou is now 5-0 with five knockouts in his last five fights.

The UFC has their next superstar in Francis Ngannou. For months, we figured that Ngannou would be facing Jon Jones (26-1, 1 NC) if he were to capture the heavyweight title. At least, that’s what Dana White had been saying.

However, Jones and the UFC appear to be at odds right now. Before the weekend, we thought we had a clear picture of the heavyweight title picture. However, it now appears that everything is cloudy.

Who will challenge Ngannou after UFC 260?

Right now, the UFC has two primary options for Ngannou’s first title defense. The first and most obvious choice is Jon Jones. Jones is considered by many to be the greatest fighter of all time.

The long reigning light heavyweight champion has been preparing for his move to the UFC’s heavyweight division. Again, prior to this latest public spat, the promotion had been saying that Jones was next for the heavyweight title.

Dana White said after Saturday that Derrick Lewis (25-7, 1 NC) could actually be the next in line for the heavyweight title. Lewis and Ngannou have already fought once in an extremely underwhelming affair that took place at UFC 226.

However, Lewis has won four fights in a row to put himself in a prime position in the heavyweight division. If Jones’ issue with the UFC cannot be resolved, I fully expect Derrick Lewis to get the next shot at the title.

The wildcard in this entire situation is Stipe Miocic. Miocic and Ngannou are 1-1 with both men having dominated one of the fights. In theory, it would make sense to do another trilogy, however, there are multiple barriers.

The former UFC heavyweight champion and his wife are getting ready to have another baby. With that and the knockout, I would expect Miocic to take some time off. Ngannou is wanting to be an active champion so that pretty much rules Miocic out.

This situation is going to be very fluid, but I would expect a resolution before the month of April is over. If I had to put money on anyone, I believe they will get the Jones situation resolved. However, when it comes to the egos involved, who really knows.

Jon Jones to the UFC: “Just f**king let me go”

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UFC, Jon Jones

It is safe to say that the relationship between Jon Jones (26-1, 1 NC) and the UFC is not in a good place. Last summer, there was a very public spat between Jones and the promotion regarding his pay.

Jones wanted more money to move up to heavyweight and the UFC wanted to keep him on his current deal. Jones said he would just sit out until he was given an offer that he was satisfied with.

Over the past few months, it appeared that Jones and the UFC had mended their issues. Dana White even said that he was on good speaking terms with Jones and that Jones was excited about his move to heavyweight.

In the buildup to UFC 260, White kept saying that Jones would be facing the winner. However, things drastically turned on Saturday night after the PPV. Jones tweeted out saying, “Show me the money,” and that didn’t sit well with Dana White.

At the post-fight press conference, White essentially said tweeting that is a way of saying you don’t want the fight. Of course, this didn’t sit well with the former UFC light heavyweight champion who fired back on Twitter.

Jones said yesterday that the UFC was going to send him an offer this week to face the new heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou (16-3). Bones took to Twitter today to voice his frustrations so it’s safe to say he’s not happy with the offer.

https://twitter.com/JonnyBones/status/1376588604844122113

https://twitter.com/JonnyBones/status/1376588756556247041

What’s next for the UFC and Jones

As mentioned, this problem is the same thing that we were dealing with last summer with Jones and the UFC. There is clearly a problem with what the promotion is offering and what Jon Jones wants financially.

Jones has kept the same stance all along and I was under the impression that the offers were fixed given comments in recent months. However, it now appears that nothing has really changed.

From here, I’m anticipating there being more back and forth between Jones and the UFC. The UFC has already said that they would pivot to Derrick Lewis if they cannot finalize the matchup. This situation will definitely be one to watch over the next few days.

The UFC to send Jon Jones offer to fight Francis Ngannou this week

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UFC, Jon Jones

Last night at UFC 260, Francis Ngannou (16-3) became the heavyweight champion of the world. To do that, he knocked out the greatest heavyweight champion in UFC history, Stipe Miocic (20-4).

Ngannou showed incredible improvement and poise as he knocked out the former champion in the second round. After the fight was over, immediately people started talking about the potential matchup with Jon Jones (26-1, 1 NC).

Jones is widely considered to be the greatest fighter of all time. He’s currently been transforming his body as he prepares for the heavyweight division. It’s been understood for weeks that Jones would take on the winner.

However, Dana White through some cloudiness into that last night. White suggested that the UFC could pivot to a fight with Derrick Lewis. Lewis is considered to be the top contender that sits in the heavyweight division.

Of course, this didn’t sit well with Jones. The UFC President said last night that if Jones prices himself out of the fight, it’s another way of him basically saying he doesn’t want the fight. Jones was not thrilled with the comments.

UFC to submit an offer this week

Around this same time nearly a year ago, we faced a similar position. Jones was interested in moving up to the UFC’s heavyweight division to take on Ngannou in a one-off superfight.

However, after the UFC failed to up the offer to Jones and a public spat ensued. Jones even publicly asked the promotion to release him due to the poor financial negotiations.

The former UFC light heavyweight champion vacated his title in the fall as he prepared to move to heavyweight. It seemed like the fences had been mended between Jones and the UFC up until last night.

That’s when the narrative seemed to change out of no where with White’s comments. Jones said on Twitter this afternoon that the UFC is going to be coming to him with an offer this week to fight Ngannou.

If the fight meets Jones’ expectations, we are likely going to see Jones get booked against the new heavyweight champion. However, if there’s any snag whatsoever, I would expect a quick pivot to the UFC and Derrick Lewis (25-7, 1 NC) will get the shot.

UFC: Derrick Lewis could be next for Francis Ngannou instead of Jon Jones

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Last night at UFC 260, Francis Ngannou (16-3) shook up the combat sports world. The Predator took on the greatest heavyweight champion in the history of the promotion, Stipe Miocic (20-4) for the second time.

When the two men first fought back at UFC 220, Miocic was able to dominate his way to a decision victory. Last night played out much differently and we saw a completely different version of Francis Ngannou.

In their first fight, Ngannou was extremely wild, had no takedown defense, and fatigued quickly. Last night at UFC 260, Ngannou showed incredible takedown defense, he was extremely poised and didn’t look remotely tired after the first round.

In the second round, Ngannou came on strong and dropped Miocic. Miocic landed a big counter right that gave him a false sense of security and he rushed after Ngannou. That’s when the Predator landed a short left that put Miocic out cold.

Francis Ngannou is the new UFC heavyweight champion and he has superstar written all over him. For months, we’ve thought that Jon Jones (26-1, 1 NC) would be the next in line. However, Dana White said last night that Jones isn’t a guarantee to get the next shot.

UFC could make Ngannou – Lewis 2?

At the UFC 260 post-fight press conference, White was asked about what’s next for Ngannou. He said, “If Jon Jones really wants that fight, we can make that fight tonight. (When looking at the division) Derrick Lewis is the fight to make.”

The former UFC light heavyweight champion had stated on Twitter that he wants to get paid for his shot at Ngannou. If there’s a negotiation snag with Jones, Derrick Lewis (25-7, 1 NC) is the number one contender.

The Black Beast has won four fights in a row and owns a victory over the new UFC heavyweight champion. Lewis and Ngannou are the two biggest knockout artists arguably in the promotion’s history. Their first fight was awful, but I think their second fight would deliver.

I still believe Jones is the big favorite to get the next shot, but Derrick Lewis is a very compelling option. So what about Stipe Miocic? If Miocic comes back at all, he’s going to need to take some time.

His wife is getting ready to have a baby and that was an awful loss. Miocic needs to take a little time and perhaps he can come back and get another crack at the UFC heavyweight title in early 2022.

State of the UFC’s heavyweight division

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MMA, Stipe Miocic

The last month has been incredibly busy for the UFC‘s heavyweight division. In the month of February alone, three fight nights were headlined by heavyweight clashes that shook up the heavyweight division.

However, outside of fighting, we also saw some big news come in last night regarding the heavyweights. The UFC released former heavyweight champion, Junior Dos Santos (21-9) and former title challenger, Alistair Overeem (47-19, 1 NC).

Both men were ranked inside the top 12 at heavyweight so the news is shaking up the rankings a bit. The release of JDS wasn’t surprising, but Overeem had just headlined UFC Vegas 18 against Alexander Volkov (33-8).

Volkov looked better than ever and stopped Overeem in the second round. However, Overeem had won two in a row prior so the decision to release was rather interesting. Nevertheless, Overeem is no longer with the promotion.

After Volkov’s big win, we saw UFC Vegas 19 which was headlined by Derrick Lewis (25-7, 1 NC) and Curtis Blaydes (14-3, 1 NC). Both of these men were looking to stake their claim as a top contender and that’s exactly what Derrick Lewis did.

After Curtis Blaydes easily won the first round, Lewis put him to sleep in the second round. Lewis is now tied for the most knockouts in UFC history and he’s ranked second in the heavyweight division.

Last weekend at UFC Vegas 20, we saw the conclusion of the heavyweight main events. Ciryl Gane (8-0) took on Jairzinho Rozenstruik (11-2). It was the only fight that went the distance and it lacked for action, but Ciryl Gane dominated his way into the top five at heavyweight.

State of the UFC’s heavyweight division

After all of these fight nights, there is a big more clarity in the heavyweight division. At the end of this month at UFC 260, Stipe Miocic (20-3) will take on Francis Ngannou (15-3) for the heavyweight championship in a rematch.

After this fight, we already know what is next. Regardless of the outcome, Jon Jones (26-1, 1 NC) is getting the next crack at the heavyweight title. Jones vacated his light heavyweight championship to pursue the heavyweight title and he’s getting an immediate title shot.

I would say that whoever loses the title fight in March will likely face Derrick Lewis next. Lewis would be the number one contender if Jon Jones wasn’t moving up. Given where Stipe and Francis both stand, the UFC will likely let Lewis fight the winner after UFC 260.

With that, I believe that Volkov will likely be fighting Ciryl Gane next. Both are now ranked inside the top five and a win for either man would probably put them just one more win away from a title shot.

By the process of elimination, we could also see Curtis Blaydes and Rozenstruik fight next. Both are coming off of a loss, but both are still ranked inside the top six. The top of the heavyweight division is looking very exciting and I can’t wait to see how 2021 plays out for the big boys in the UFC.

After big knockout at UFC Vegas 19, what’s next for Derrick Lewis?

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This past weekend at UFC Vegas 19, the heavyweights took center stage. In the main event, “The Black Beast” Derrick Lewis (25-7, 1 NC) took on Curtis “Razor” Blaydes (14-3, 1 NC). Both men carried winning streaks into the octagon on Saturday night.

Curtis Blaydes was the heavy betting favorite on Saturday night. Blaydes was the second ranked heavyweight in the UFC and outside of Francis Ngannou, nobody has been able to touch him inside the octagon. Most expected a heavy dose of wrestling from Blaydes on Saturday night.

Derrick Lewis is the heavyweight knockout king. He stands alone atop the UFC‘s heavyweights when it comes to knockouts. The Black Beast has freak power and for that reason, many expected Blaydes to focus on the wrestling and grappling. We’ve seen Lewis struggle there before.

However, early on in the fight, Blaydes was content with standing with Lewis. Curtis Blaydes seemed apprehensive and tentative to shoot with the power of Lewis. Derrick Lewis seemed to be trying to time an uppercut on a shot from Blaydes.

In the first round, Curtis Blaydes actually got the better of the standup. The range was really bothering Lewis and Blaydes seemed to find a rhythm on the feet. In the second round, Blaydes tried to transition to his wrestling. However, Lewis defended the first takedown and they stayed standing.

On the second takedown attempt, Lewis landed the uppercut that he was trying to time. A lifeless Blaydes flopped to the floor and ate a few follow up shots. Another knockout win for the UFC‘s heavyweight knockout king.

What’s next after UFC Vegas 19?

When the UFC rankings come out tomorrow, I would fully expect Derrick Lewis to be ranked second. He’s now on a four-fight win streak and he also holds a victory over current top contender, Francis Ngannou.

While many focus on just his knockouts and his interviews, Lewis has put together quite the run in the UFC’s heavyweight division. If Jon Jones wasn’t moving to heavyweight, The Black Beast would be getting the winner of Miocic/Ngannou 2 which happens next month.

However, with Jones getting the next shot at the title, the UFC will have to do something else with Lewis. The perfect fight for Lewis is the winner of this weekend’s main event at UFC Vegas 20.

Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Ciryl Gane are battling it out and whoever wins will be ranked in the top five. Lewis hasn’t fought either of those top contenders so a matchup between them would make perfect sense. Perhaps that would be the co-main event to the Jones heavyweight title fight later in the summer.

After brutal knockout loss at UFC Vegas 19, what’s next for Curtis Blaydes?

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Curtis Blaydes, UFC

This past Saturday at UFC Vegas 19, Curtis Blaydes (14-3, 1 NC) and Derrick Lewis (25-7, 1 NC) went head-to-head in the main event. Blaydes entered the contest as a huge betting favorite, however, Derrick Lewis was always one shot away from changing those odds.

Early on in the fight, Curtis Blaydes was actually getting the better of the striking. I was very impressed with his ability to control distance and he was doing a fantastic job of mixing in jabs with calf kicks.

A few times it appeared that Lewis was actually hurt by Blaydes at UFC Vegas 19. However, Blaydes was playing with fire by not going to his bread and butter which is his wrestling. In the second round, Blaydes did try going to his wrestling.

However, Lewis defended the takedown well and the two went back to striking. Blaydes tried again for another takedown and Lewis put his lights out with a brilliant uppercut. The knockout loss at UFC Vegas 19 snapped a four-fight winning streak for Curtis Blaydes.

What’s next after UFC Vegas 19?

Curtis Blaydes has only lost to two men inside the UFC. The down side for him is that those two men make up 50% of the heavyweight contenders ranked in front of him. Another problem for Blaydes is that he’s already defeated many of the contender ranked behind him.

To give him a fresh look, I think we should look to this upcoming weekend’s main event for his next fight. UFC Vegas 20 is being headlined by Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Ciryl Gane. Blaydes has fought neither one of these men.

I think a great next fight for Blaydes would be fighting the loser of that matchup. Whoever loses will still be a top ten contender and will be in a similar position as Curtis Blaydes. I fully expect Blaydes to bounce back after this loss. He’s still one of the best heavyweights in the UFC without question.

Derrick Lewis puts Curtis Blaydes to sleep at UFC Vegas 19

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In the main event of UFC Vegas 19, we saw a heavyweight clash between two of the best in the world. Derrick Lewis (24-7, 1 NC) and Curtis Blaydes (14-2, 1 NC) were both looking to continue their winning streaks tonight.

The Black Beast became the UFC‘s heavyweight knockout king in his last performance. Derrick Lewis had won three fights in a row and he was looking to make a big statement with a win over Curtis Blaydes.

Lewis is known for his incredibly power and is fun personality. However, grappling and cardio are not two of the things he’s known for. He would need to show improvements in both of these areas to get the win.

Standing across from Lewis at UFC Vegas 19 was Curtis Blaydes. Blaydes is easily the third best heavyweight in the world right now. Only Francis Ngannou has gotten the better of him and he’s done it twice.

Outside of Ngannou, Blaydes has been a puzzle that nobody has been able to crack. Blaydes has sensational wrestling and he was very clear about his game plan leading into tonight’s main event.

UFC Vegas 19 Recap

Round 1

The UFC Vegas 19 main event kicked off with a touch of the gloves. Lewis took the center of the octagon anticipating the takedown attempt from Blaydes. Blaydes came in and tried to strike and Lewis cracked him with some big shots.

Blaydes immediately backed away and looked to reset. Lewis was calm and just appeared to be timing Curtis Blaydes. A lot of pressure from Curtis Blaydes found Lewis’ back against the cage.

Blaydes tried to work his way in, but he was tentative to engage. He started to work his jab while Lewis was still looking to time him for big shots. Blaydes steps in to engage and he actually tagged Lewis with a couple of big shots as Lewis swung wildly.

Then Blaydes started mixing in some good low kicks. A nice jab lands for Cutis Blaydes and the distance was starting to be a problem for Lewis. Blaydes was really connecting well from distance. The first round at UFC Vegas 19 was all striking and Curtis Blaydes takes it.

Round 2

The second round at UFC Vegas 19 kicked off with a lot of pressure from Blaydes. Both men exchanged big shots and then Blaydes shot in for a takedown. However, Lewis defended well and the two men went back to striking.

Blaydes was dominating the striking early on. Again, the range was a problem and Lewis was being a little wild. Just as I say that, Blaydes shoots in for a takedown and a clean uppercut lands for Derrick Lewis. Blaydes is out and eats a couple more clean bombs for his troubles. Another knockout for The Black Beast!

Derrick Lewis def. Curtis Blaydes by KO – Round 2

UFC Vegas 19 Preview: Derrick Lewis – Curtis Blaydes

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Tomorrow night the UFC returns for their 19th Fight Night from the APEX. In the main event of the evening we are going to see to of the best heavyweights in the world battle it out as Derrick “The Black Beast” Lewis (24-7, 1 NC) takes on Curtis “Razor” Blaydes (14-2, 1 NC).

In reality, this should be a title eliminator in the heavyweight division. However, with Jon Jones being guaranteed the next UFC heavyweight title shot, the winner of this fight is going to be in a bit of a state of limbo.

Nevertheless, it’s a massive fight for both men. Both heavyweights will walk into UFC Vegas 19 with winning streaks. Derrick Lewis is going to be looking to pickup his fourth consecutive win tomorrow.

Lewis is known for his entertaining style and of course, his interviews. The Black Beast might not have the best technique or the best cardio, but his raw power is something to behold. He’s always just one shot away from putting your lights out.

Nobody can question how good Curtis Blaydes is. Blaydes, in my opinion, is easily the third best heavyweight in the UFC. However, he’s in a bit of a tough spot because his only two losses are to the same man, Francis Ngannou.

Blaydes is known for his great wrestling. He might have the best pure wrestling in the heavyweight division and he has been very vocal about how he plans to use it tomorrow. Either he will dominate with his wrestling or The Black Beast will have to catch him with a big shot.

UFC Vegas 19 Prediction

The headliner at UFC Vegas 19 is relatively easy to pick in my opinion. The fight is going to go one of two ways. Either Derrick Lewis is going to catch Blaydes and knock him out, or we are going to see a wrestling clinic with Blaydes getting his hand raised.

If Lewis wins tomorrow night, UFC fans will be talking about a knockout. If Blaydes wins, we will be discussing his efficiency and his dominant wrestling. There is a chance that Blaydes can get a TKO finish tomorrow night. However, only if Lewis completely gasses out.

If Derrick Lewis is going to win tomorrow night, he’s gonna have to catch Blaydes coming in. If he can’t catch him, I don’t see the fight going well. Lewis struggles with wrestlers and Blaydes is arguably the best in the division. I can definitely see Lewis catching him, but smart money is on Blaydes.

Prediction: Curtis Blaydes by Unanimous Decision