Derrick Lewis wasn’t expecting to be matched up with Ilir Latifi.
Throughout his UFC run, Latifi has been a 205-pounder. While “The Sledgehammer” has competed on the regional circuit as a heavyweight, his bout with Lewis will be his toughest test at that weight class to date. Lewis vs. Latifi will take place on the UFC 247 card on Feb. 8 in Houston, Texas.
Lewis Gives Reaction To Receiving Latifi As An Opponent
Lewis, who was a guest fighter at UFC 245, spoke to reporters ahead of his next clash. He admitted that Latifi wasn’t at the top of his list in terms of who he thought the UFC would offer him (via MMAJunkie.com).
“It was a real surprise that they chose Latifi because I believe that he was a small 205-er and for anything, he should have went down to 185 instead of coming up to heavyweight,” Lewis said. “And I heard that he had called me out, and wanted to fight me, so it was a real surprise to me, that he wanted to pick the biggest guy in the division, like the fattest guy in the division.”
While the booking caught Lewis off guard, “The Black Beast” doesn’t believe Latifi will bring anything that he hasn’t seen before.
“I know he’s an explosive guy, he’s a wrestler or what. I don’t think he’ll be any different than anyone else,” Lewis said.
What do you make of the Derrick Lewis vs. Ilir Latifi bout?
