Better luck next time, Derrick Lewis.

It was a very rational thought to have as the seconds ticked toward the third and final bell of Lewis’ meeting with Alexander Volkov at UFC 229.

Lewis nearly had been finished several times. He repeatedly fussed with his eye, the result of legal blows he’d taken by the dozen. Somehow, he’d managed to fishhook Volkov, who was told by ref Herb Dean, “It’s OK. It’s time to fight.”

A reversal late in the first round put the audience on edge as Lewis almost pulled off a ground and pound TKO. But when the second round arrived, he looked as though he’d left the building.

“There’s definitely no quit in Derrick Lewis though,” UFC commentator Dominick Cruz said. “You can hurt him, and he can still knock you out with one punch.”

With 30 seconds remaining in the fight, “The Black Beast” had spent more time backpedaling than swinging. And though it was a familiar routine, looking utterly hopeless before pulling off miracle comebacks, there just wasn’t enough left on the clock.

Or was there?

Lewis reversed direction and started stalking Volkov. After getting punished at distance, the 6-foot-7 Russian was in range of his fists, just where his coaches had been begging him to be. And a massive strategic error, perhaps the result of taking one or two of those lunchboxes earlier in the fight, saw Volkov offer his chin as he lunged with a knee.

A right hand rotated Volkov’s jaw, and he went crashing to the canvas. With a follow-up punch that removed him from consciousness, Lewis had pulled off the 2018 MMAjunkie “Comeback of the Year.”

If you’re not convinced that Lewis got the nod, take a look at the stats from the fight, or one in particular: -82. That was the strike differential between Lewis and Volkov up to that point; Volkov landed 121 significant strikes to Lewis’ 39.

Down as far as he could possibly be, Lewis pulled the biggest rabbit out of his hat. Then, to top it all off, he took off his pants in the octagon he gave one of the most memorable interviews in MMA history. If you forgot, here’s a reminder.

Later, Lewis said his epic comeback wasn’t just a highlight reel moment – it was also a boon for his bottom line. He estimated that Hail Mary right hand was worth a cool $1 million when the UFC offered him a shot at the heavyweight title.

Lewis would have zero luck when he faced Daniel Cormier one month later at UFC 230. The now-former champ-champ would offer him no chance to pull off a come-from-behind victory, stopping him in the second round with a submission. Along with incredible comebacks came sudden jolts of reality as he faced someone without a critical lapse in defense.

But like everything Lewis, it was a fun ride anyway.

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.