One could never imagine a heavyweight who not only occupies the top
spot in
Ultimate Fighting Championship history for most knockout
victories and carries a menacing presence but also reflects
congeniality. However,
Derrick
Lewis is truly a diamond in the rough. The Louisiana native
deflects plaudits of a premier knockout artist by adopting the role
of the organization’s resident comedian—an instinctual and innate
gift. The potent force he carries in his punches coupled with his
inadvertent comic sense makes for a mighty pairing that has made
Lewis a household name in mixed martial arts.
Having endured four losses in five outings, Lewis will attempt to
get back on track when he faces
Rodrigo
Nascimento in the
UFC on ESPN 56 main event this Saturday at the Enterprise
Center in St. Louis. Ahead of Lewis’ forthcoming clash with the
Brazilian, here are five things you might not know about him:
1. Life pinned him against the ropes, forcing an unyielding
path.
Lewis was the second-eldest of seven siblings raised by a single
mother in New Orleans. The deficit of supervision meant trouble
soon followed, as he was often involved in street fighting. At 17,
he would pick up the boxing gloves and get to training, eventually
preparing for his first amateur fight. However, the gym shut down,
removing an anchor that perhaps could have kept him out of trouble.
Two weeks after high school graduation, Lewis was charged with
aggravated assault stemming from a late-night altercation and was
placed on probation. Two years later, while attending Kilgore
College on a full football scholarship, Lewis violated his
probation and was sentenced to five years in prison. He ended up
spending the next three and a half years incarcerated in the
Central Unit of the Sugar Land Department of Corrections.
2. He showed heroic qualities in a time of need.
Lewis’ selfless acts during Hurricane Harvey’s devastation in
Houston revealed his dedication to community service in times of
crisis. Deflated by the news that officers could not respond unless
it was a life-or-death situation, Lewis stepped up to the plate,
rescuing over 100 people from the floodwaters from early morning to
late night. He navigated the water-inundated streets in his Chevy
truck, pulling stranded people to safety. “Me and my wife were
watching the news and we heard that the officers are not going to
be going out,” Lewis told ESPN MMA. “The only way they were going
to go out is because of a life-or-death situation. I really didn’t
like that, so I went out and tried to help as many people as I can.
My wife was mad at me because I didn’t eat, but I didn’t care. The
time went by so fast.”
3. He can dole out swift justice if the situation calls for
it.
Back in May 2021, a since-charged car thief in Houston was ensnared
in a confrontational episode with Lewis. Houston Police public
information officer Jodi Silva revealed that Lewis said he was
returning to his car after a workout when he heard thudding sounds
coming from his vehicle. Lewis spotted the later-identified Quinton
Wright on the driver's side, allegedly trying to open the door with
a screwdriver. Lewis took to Instagram to write about the encounter
in a since-deleted post: “Mofo pick right/wrong car to break into.”
Lewis posted a picture of the man being put into a police car as
well as a video showing the damage to his car, saying “Motherf---er
tried to break into my s---.”
4. He realized a childhood dream, along with blessings in
abundance.
Hailing from humble beginnings in suboptimal circumstances, Lewis
could only dream of the lifestyle that he wanted as a kid. However,
situated now as a renowned figure in the UFC, life has come full
circle for him. Speaking in an interview with UFC.com, Lewis
stated: “From growing up not having anything—wanting stuff and not
being able to get those things—now I’m able to get anything I want,
buy anything I want, have anything I want and provide my kids with
whatever I believe they need. It’s a true blessing, for real. I’ve
got to humble myself every day because I know it can still be gone
in the blink of an eye.”
5. He found a life partner in every sense.
Lewis married his longtime girlfriend, April, in Honolulu on June.
17, 2017. The pair have been together through thick and thin, and
she has witnessed Lewis grow from being a AAA tow truck driver to a
future UFC title challenger. She spoke to ESPN MMA in the aftermath
of Lewis’ victory over
Chris
Daukaus:
“I just wanted
to be supportive of him. It was nice to see him win. I’m very proud
of him. We’ve been together 13 years, so I’ve seen him since, you
know, he was a AAA truck driver. I am so excited and proud of him
to see how far he has gotten in his career.”