Heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier proved to be too much for Derrick Lewis tonight at UFC 230, dominating him with superior wrestling before finding a rear-naked choke finish in the second round.
Round One:
The main event heavyweight title fight is underway at Madison Square Garden.
Body kick from Lewis to start. Now a leg kick for the challenger. Cormier responds with one of his own. Head kick attempt from ‘The Black Beast’ and it’s blocked.
Cormier closes the distance and goes for a single leg takedown, bringing Lewis to the mat with a minute gone in the fight.
Cormier in half-guard and lands a punch. Cormier grinding his elbow into Lewis’ face. He drops that elbow down on his opponent’s head.
DC postures up and drops down a punch. Lewis gets to his knees and manages to stand, but Cormier stays on him. He lands a few punches and then goes for another single-leg to bring him back to the mat.
Back in half-guard DC continues with more of the same, grinding his elbow into Lewis’ face. Approaching the final minute of the round and Cormier lands a few hard punches and Lewis covers up with concern.
Lewis able to scramble to his knees, but isn’t able to get back up completely as Cormier stays heavy on top.
Round Two:
Body kick for Cormier. Lewis throws off a short flurry of punches. KIck for Lewis. Cormier just getting out the way of a couple of straight punches from Lewis.
Cormier into a safer distance now though as he goes for the single leg and lands it. However, Lewis stands quickly. Cormier keeps him pressed to the cage and snaps him down to the mat. Lewis trying to stand, but Cormier nicely works an ankle pick to bring him down again.
Cormier able to pass guard and as Lewis gives up his back the champion quickly wraps his arm under the neck of the challenger and forces him to tap out to successfully defend his heavyweight title for the first time!
