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Derrick Lewis threatened to knock out Daniel Cormier before UFC 226 press conference, champ says
LAS VEGAS – They were sitting next to each other and very cordial, but apparently Daniel Cormier and Derrick Lewis had a bit of a run-in earlier Thursday.
Cormier (20-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) and Lewis (19-5 MMA, 10-3 UFC) fight on Saturday at UFC 226 when they meet Stipe Miocic (18-2 MMA, 12-2 UFC) and Francis Ngannou (11-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC), respectively.
Although the 20-minute pre-event press conference was filled with jokes, Cormier also revealed a bit of an incident from minutes before they stepped on the stage after being asked what could be next if he wins the UFC heavyweight title from Miocic this weekend.
“I’ve already got a challenge in the back,” Cormier told reporters, including MMAjunkie. “Derrick Lewis told me that he was going to knock me out before we walked out here. Derrick Lewis may knock out Francis then knock me out after. I know the guys that are lined up to fight me. He’s been sizing me up since we got back here. He called me small. He’s like, ‘You’re smaller than everybody up here.’ That’s rude, Derrick. He said it.”
UFC 226 takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FS1 and UFC Fight Pass.
Lewis was asked why he approached Cormier with such a hostile comment. However, in typical fashion from “The Black Beast,” he gave an answer that was far from serious.
“He disrespected Popeyes chicken on the commercial (from the World MMA Awards),” Lewis said (watch the video).
It remains to be seen if a matchup between Cormier and Lewis could eventually come to fruition. If both men win at UFC 226, it’s not out of the realm of possibility. However, Cormier has said already that a return to the light heavyweight division to defend his title could be on the horizon.
Could Cormier reverse course and stick to heavyweight if he claims the belt, though? He said it’s possible, but he would prefer to have it all.
“I’m honestly just really selfish, and I don’t want to give up one of the belts,” Cormier said. “So it’s going to be a fight between (UFC President) Dana (White) and I. We’ll see what happens. Either I fight at 205 (or stay at heavyweight).”
For more on UFC 226, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.
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