Derrick Lewis: If Francis Ngannou fight goes the distance, I need to be cut from the UFC

UFC heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis has been campaigning for a fight against former title contender Francis Ngannou. The UFC then obliged by booking them to be part of the massive UFC 226 fight card in July.

“The Black Beast” has made this matchup personal with Ngannou, and is not willing to let go of the grudge even after their fight. But if the action goes all three rounds and into the judges’ hands, Lewis feels he should be released from his UFC contract.

“It can’t go bell-to-bell, there ain’t no way,” Lewis said on the recent episode of the UFC Unfiltered podcast (transcript via MMA Mania). “If it goes bell-to-bell, I need to be cut.”

Ngannou last fought at UFC 220 in January, where he challenged champion Stipe Miocic for the undisputed heavyweight title. Miocic ended up winning via decision by not engaging in a full stand-up war, and instead utilized his wrestling and takedowns.

Lewis feels Miocic could have stopped Ngannou in that fight, as he stated his own strategy if he was in the champion’s shoes.

“The thing about that fight is Stipe could’ve finished that fight a long time ago. The ref should’ve stopped the fight a long time ago when Stipe was on top of him,” Lewis said.

“The guy didn’t throw any punches after the second round, he didn’t throw anything else and once Stipe got on top of him and started hitting him, you know,” he added. “If I was in that same situation, I’m not gonna just pepper shot him, I’m gonna let my full load out on him on his face. No homo.”

UFC 226 is scheduled to take place on July 7^th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for International Fight Week.