Derrick Lewis is a current UFC Heavyweight fighter, holding a professional MMA record of 26 wins, 11 defeats, and 1 no-contest.
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Derrick Lewis was born on February 7, 1985. He is a professional MMA fighter from the United States. He now fights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in the Heavyweight division, where he holds the record for most knockouts in UFC history. Lewis has been a professional fighter since 2010, competing for Bellator MMA and Legacy FC, where he was the Heavyweight Champion. He is ranked #7 in the UFC heavyweight rankings as of August 1, 2022.
Lewis, the second oldest of seven siblings raised by a single mother in New Orleans, Louisiana, was troublesome as a child and was frequently involved in street fights. Lewis and his family moved to Houston, Texas, in 1998. Lewis began boxing training at the age of 17 and was preparing for his first amateur fight when the gym abruptly closed down.
Lewis was charged with severe assault and placed on probation two weeks after graduating from high school. Lewis broke his probation two years later, while attending Kilgore College on a full football scholarship, and was sentenced to five years in jail, but only served three and a half.
Lewis was exposed to mixed martial arts by a pal a week after his release and continued boxing under the instruction of George Foreman while working as a tow truck driver. Lewis opted to concentrate on mixed martial arts after dominating his first professional MMA fight.
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Lewis began his MMA career in late 2009 when he made his amateur debut against Jay Ross at LSAMMA on October 16, 2009. He was defeated by TKO (doctor stoppage). On January 30, 2010, he fought Tim Buchanan in a US American Combat Association tournament. He won via KO. Lewis turned professional in 2010 and compiled a 4-1 record before signing with Bellator MMA in May 2010.
Lewis was set to make his professional debut on May 21, 2011, against Brazilian Thiago Santos at Bellator 45. However, the fight was called off when Santos was forced to withdraw due to an injury. On June 25, 2011, Lewis faced Tony Johnson at Bellator 46. He was defeated by a unanimous decision.
After leaving Bellator, Lewis went 6-0 with one no-contest, most notably earning and successfully defending the Legacy FC Heavyweight Championship. He was subsequently signed by the UFC.
Lewis has a net worth of more than $1.5 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. According to The Sports Daily, he has estimated UFC career earnings of nearly $5,004,000 as of February 2022. Lewis earned $315, 000 in his bout against Aleksei Oleinik in 2020.
His greatest fight purse ($732,000) came from his battle against Ciryl Gane at UFC 265. At UFC 230, ‘The Black Beast’ announced an endorsement contract with Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. He has since supported various companies. Lewis remains one of the sport’s most influential stars, with over 1.8 million Instagram followers.
