Derrick Lewis dropped a bombshell last night after a fourth round TKO loss to Mark Hunt at UFC Fight Night 110 when he stated that he was now planning to retire.
“That’s probably my last fight,” Lewis told Brian Stann in his post-fight interview in the Octagon. “I’m getting married next week, and I don’t like to put my family through all this.”
“Most likely this will be my last fight in the UFC.”
No-one saw that coming as Lewis is still only 32-years-old and had been on a six-fight winning streak prior to this fight that had seen him finish the likes of Travis Browne and Roy Nelson with strikes.
‘The Black Beast’ also gained something of a cult fanbase in the UFC not only due to his heavy-hitting fights, which had help him rise to No.6 in the heavyweight rankings, but also thanks to his quirky sense of humor in interviews and on social media.
With that in mind, Lewis was a welcome addition to the UFC’s aging heavyweight roster in recent times, so it would be a blow for the promotion if he does decide to go ahead and hang up his gloves prematurely.
However, having not tasted defeat in a while and being clouded by thoughts of his impending marriage, it could be that Lewis will have a change of heart in the coming weeks and months ahead.
That being said, Lewis did also mention in his post-fight interview that his performance had been hampered by an ongoing lower back injury that’s been causing him problems for several years, so that could also have played a factor in his decision.
