Derrick Lewis and Francis Ngannou put on one of the worst heavyweight fights of all-time in the co-main event of UFC 226.
Round One:
Both men start in cautious fashion. Lewis tries a head kick, but it’s telegraphed and Ngannou keeps his distance. stance switches from Ngannou, but no offense so far.
Lewis launches a strike and Ngannou tries to counter but misses with a winging strike. Switch kick attempt upstairs from Lewis is blocked.
Body kick from Lewis. Front kick usptairs missed. Very cautious start from Ngannou. Body kick for lewis and then tries to clinch up for a takedown attempt, but it doesn’t work out.
Jab for Ngannou. leg kick for Lewis. Right hook for Lewis. Switch kick from Lewis. He’s won this round just by virtue of the fact that Ngannou hasn’t really done anything yet!
Lewis saying that his back is troubling him in-between rounds – something he’s had issues with in the past.
Round Two:
Ngannou still looking cautious here. Lewis throwing feints. Head kick attempt from lewis is blocked. Crowd restless here. Right hand gets through for Lewis.
He tries to clinch up but Ngannou shrugs it off. Lewis loads up on a left-right that misses. Big boos ringing out from the crowd.
Absolutely nothing happening right now as they stare at each other and throw the occasional feint. Ngannou reaches with a left hand, but doesn’t fully commit to it.
The ref stops the fight to warn both fighters to do something. Body kick for Lewis and a punch behind it. Ngannou lands a jab. Lewis throws hard punches but doesn’t find the target.
Another body kick for Lewis. Crowd booing loudly again as the round ends.
Round Three:
Very poor fight so far. Let’s see if it picks up in the final five minutes. Leg kick for Lewis. Then another lands, and another without much power behind any of them.
Ngannou reaching with the jab without finding the mark. Ngannou still not picking up his offensive output. He’s throwing the fight away here by not engaging.
Front kick to the body from Ngannou. Head kick attempt from Lewis. Body kick attempt from Ngannou. Leg kick for Lewis. He barrels forward and lands a punch.
Ngannou misses with a left hand. left hook for Ngannou. Body kick for Lewis. Ngannou with a big kick that Lewis ducks under.
Ngannou has made absolutely no attempt to win this fight so far, bizarre stuff. lewis looks to close the distance into the clinch and Ngannou throws a strike at last.
Both men posturing as if they want to pick up the pace at last in the closing seconds, but it’s too little too late. What a terrible fight.
Decision:
Ngannou threw nothing of substance here, so by default Lewis has to win by uanimous decision (29-28 x2, 30-27). Ngannou’s stock has just dropped massively as a result of this shockingly lackluster performance.
