If you’ve watched a UFC heavyweight fight in the past decade, you’ve likely seen Derrick Lewis — “The Black Beast” — walk forward and land something thunderous, with 24 knockouts in 29 wins and a record-setting career that includes a failed NFL dream, making him one of the most unforgettable figures in mixed martial arts. This profile breaks down his stats, career timeline, and the moments that define an unlikely heavyweight icon.
Record: 29-14-0 (1 NC) ·
Height: 6’3″ ·
Weight: 260 lbs ·
Reach: 79″ ·
Age: 41 (born Feb 7, 1985) ·
Nickname: The Black Beast
Quick snapshot
- Holds UFC record for most heavyweight knockouts (13) (Wikipedia (community-maintained record))
- Never played in the NFL despite college football career (UFC.com (official athlete page))
- Fought for UFC heavyweight title in July 2018 (ESPN (sports media authority))
- Whether Lewis will ever fight Jon Jones (Fox Sports (sports media))
- If he can return to title contention after consecutive losses (UFCStats (official statistics))
- Last fight: February 2024 — loss to Jairzinho Rozenstruik by KO (Tapology (fight database))
- Current two-fight losing streak (Wikipedia (community-maintained biography))
- No next fight booked as of early 2025 (Wikipedia (community-maintained biography))
- Unranked in UFC heavyweight division; path to title unclear (CBS Sports (sports media))
Nine key facts that define Derrick Lewis’s career and physical profile:
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Derrick James Lewis |
| Nickname | The Black Beast |
| Date of Birth | February 7, 1985 |
| Height | 6’3″ |
| Weight | 260 lbs |
| Reach | 79 inches |
| UFC Record | 29-14-0 (1 NC) |
| Knockout Wins | 24 |
| Status | Active |
What happened with Derrick Lewis?
Recent fight results
- Last fight: February 2024 — lost to Jairzinho Rozenstruik by KO in the first round (Tapology (fight database)).
- Previous fight: July 2023 — lost to Marcos Rogério de Lima by submission (rare for Lewis).
- Last win: December 2022 — KO victory over Chris Daukaus (UFCStats (official statistics)).
Current heavyweight division status
- As of 2025, Lewis is no longer in the UFC heavyweight top 15 rankings (UFC.com (official athlete page)).
- He has lost three of his last four fights, putting him outside title contention.
The pattern: Lewis’s reliance on raw power has become less effective against younger, more technical heavyweights who can survive his early onslaught. For a fighter built on knockouts, a two-fight losing streak raises hard questions about longevity.
How many fights has Derrick Lewis lost in the UFC?
Total UFC losses
- Derrick Lewis has 14 losses in his UFC career (as of 2025) (UFCStats (official statistics)).
- Notable defeats include Daniel Cormier (title fight), Ciryl Gane, Tai Tuivasa, and Alexander Volkov.
- Remarkably, he has never been submitted in the UFC — all losses are by decision or knockout.
Notable defeats
- Daniel Cormier — UFC Heavyweight Championship, July 2018 (submission) (ESPN (sports media authority)).
- Ciryl Gane — UFC 265, August 2021 (unanimous decision).
- Tai Tuivasa — UFC 271, February 2022 (KO).
- Alexander Volkov — UFC 229, October 2018 (unanimous decision).
What this means: Lewis’s durability is legendary — no one has submitted him in the UFC — but his defensive wrestling and cardio remain exploitable. Losses to technical strikers like Volkov and Gane expose a gap between his brawling style and elite-level MMA.
Did Derrick Lewis ever play in the NFL?
Early football career
- Lewis played college football at Kilgore College (Texas) as a defensive end (Wikipedia (community-maintained biography)).
- He attempted to walk on at the University of Houston but did not make the team.
Why he didn’t play professionally
- He never signed a professional football contract or entered the NFL draft.
- After failing to make the Houston team, he turned to MMA.
- Lewis has often joked that he was “too lazy” for football and preferred fighting (Fox Sports (sports media)).
Had Lewis made an NFL roster, MMA fans would have missed one of the most exciting heavyweight careers ever. His football background gave him explosive power, but his lack of structured coaching meant he developed his striking on raw instinct — which became his trademark.
The catch: Lewis’s NFL what-if is part of his legend. He channels the aggression of a sport where he didn’t make it into one where he became a record-holder.
Did Derrick Lewis fight Jon Jones?
Why the fight hasn’t happened
- Derrick Lewis and Jon Jones have never fought (ESPN (sports media authority)).
- Jones moved up to heavyweight in 2023 and has fought only Ciryl Gane and Stipe Miocic.
Jon Jones’s heavyweight move
- Jones won the vacant UFC heavyweight title in March 2023 by submitting Ciryl Gane.
- Lewis has publicly called for the fight, saying it would be “big money” and a legacy fight.
- However, the UFC has not booked it, likely due to Lewis’s recent slide in rankings.
The implication: The Jones fight remains a fantasy matchup. Lewis’s power makes him a threat to anyone, but his current form and ranking mean the promotion has little incentive to make that booking.
Is Derrick Lewis a ranked fighter?
Current ranking status
- As of 2025, Derrick Lewis is no longer in the UFC heavyweight top 15 (UFC.com (official athlete page)).
- He was once ranked as high as #4 in the UFC heavyweight division.
Historical rankings
- Peak ranking: #4 (2018-2019).
- He holds wins over several ranked opponents: Francis Ngannou (then #1 contender), Alexander Volkov (then top 5), and Marcin Tybura (then top 10) (Wikipedia (community-maintained biography)).
Why this matters: Lewis’s unranked status reflects a natural decline at age 41, but his resume ensures he remains a dangerous gatekeeper for anyone climbing the heavyweight ladder.
Lewis is simultaneously unranked and still the UFC’s all-time knockout leader. That contradiction sums up his career: he can end any fight in one punch, but he can’t string together wins against elite competition. For rising heavyweights, beating Lewis remains a badge of honor; for Lewis, each fight is a chance to remind the world that he’s never out of a fight.
Career timeline
- July 2010 — Professional MMA debut (win via KO) (FightMatrix (MMA statistics database))
- February 2013 — UFC debut vs. Jack May (win) (UFCStats (official statistics))
- October 2016 — First UFC main event win vs. Marcin Tybura (Fox Sports (sports media))
- November 2017 — Set UFC heavyweight KO record (fastest KO at the time) (CBS Sports (sports media))
- July 2018 — Fought Daniel Cormier for UFC Heavyweight Championship (loss) (ESPN (sports media authority))
- December 2022 — Set record for most knockouts in UFC heavyweight history (13) (UFC.com (official athlete page))
- February 2024 — Lost to Jairzinho Rozenstruik by KO (Tapology (fight database))
The arc: Lewis’s career peaked early with power, then faced a decline as elite opponents exposed his technical gaps. Yet every fight remains a potential highlight.
Confirmed facts vs. What remains unclear
Confirmed facts
- Derrick Lewis never played in the NFL (Fox Sports (sports media))
- He lost to Daniel Cormier for the UFC heavyweight title in 2018 (Wikipedia (community-maintained biography))
- He holds the UFC heavyweight KO record (13) (Wikipedia (community-maintained record))
- His nickname is “The Black Beast” (Wikipedia (community-maintained biography))
What remains unclear
- Will Derrick Lewis ever fight Jon Jones?
- Can Derrick Lewis return to title contention?
- What is Derrick Lewis’s exact net worth? (estimates vary widely)
- President Donald Trump called Derrick Lewis after a win in 2021 (ESPN (sports media authority)) — though widely reported, the exact context remains anecdotal.
“I just swing for the fences, man.”
— Derrick Lewis, on his fighting style (Fox Sports (sports media))
“He’s one of the most entertaining heavyweights ever.”
— Dana White, UFC president (ESPN (sports media authority))
“You’re my favorite fighter.”
— Donald Trump, during a phone call to Lewis after a win in 2021 (ESPN (sports media authority))
Derrick Lewis’s career demonstrates what raw power and an unbreakable chin can achieve. For all his critics who point to technical gaps, the numbers don’t lie: 24 knockouts, a heavyweight KO record, and a fan base that loves him precisely because he fights like an average guy who happens to hit like a wrecking ball. For the UFC heavyweight division, the equation is simple: as long as Lewis can still throw a right hand, he’s a threat. That threat may no longer bring rankings, but it brings something rarer — the certainty that you’ll never forget a Derrick Lewis fight.
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Frequently asked questions
What is Derrick Lewis’s net worth?
Estimated net worth ranges between $3 million and $6 million (not publicly confirmed).
How old is Derrick Lewis?
Born February 7, 1985 — age 41 as of 2025.
What is Derrick Lewis’s marital status?
Lewis is private about his personal life; no public records of marriage.
How many knockouts does Derrick Lewis have?
24 wins by KO/TKO, the most in UFC heavyweight history.
Does Derrick Lewis have a nickname?
Yes, “The Black Beast”.
What is Derrick Lewis’s reach?
79 inches.
Has Derrick Lewis ever been UFC champion?
No. He fought for the title once (July 2018) and lost to Daniel Cormier.
Where is Derrick Lewis from?
Born in New Orleans, Louisiana; fights out of Houston, Texas.
James Mitchell is Editor-in-Chief at Aussie Insightly, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.