Derrick Lewis
Active 2014–present · rated in 6 editions · peak overall 83.0
Scouting report
Holding the all-time UFC record for the most knockout finishes with 15 KOs, Derrick "The Black Beast" Lewis possesses single-shot power. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana and fighting out of Houston, Texas, Lewis produced comeback knockouts of Alexander Volkov and Curtis Blaydes, his power captured by a 96 Strength rating and 92 Boxing, anchoring an 83 Overall score.
Peak ratings
By edition
Lewis made a UFC entrance across 2014 and 2015, scoring knockout finishes of Jack May in Orlando, Guto Inocente in Las Vegas, Ruan Potts in Los Angeles, and Viktor Pesta in Houston with ground-and-pound. His punching power, top strikes, and ability to stand up from bottom are reflected in an 88 Boxing and 93 Strength.
Lewis assembled a six-fight winning streak between 2016 and 2017, stopping Damian Grabowski and Shamil Abdurakhimov, knocking out Gabriel Gonzaga, outpointing Roy Nelson and knocking out Travis Browne in Halifax, before losing by fourth-round TKO to Mark Hunt in Auckland. His one-punch knockout threat and durable chin anchor his 91 Boxing and 86 Durability.
In 2018, Lewis knocked out Marcin Tybura, defeated Francis Ngannou at UFC 226, and scored a knockout of Alexander Volkov in round three at UFC 229 in Las Vegas, earning a title bout against Daniel Cormier, who submitted him in round two at UFC 230 in Madison Square Garden; he then lost to Junior dos Santos by TKO in Wichita and beat Blagoy Ivanov on a split decision at UFC 244. His clutch power and heart justify his 92 Boxing and 88 Durability.
Lewis scored three knockouts across 2020 and 2021, stopping Alexey Oleinik with punches in round two and knocking out Curtis Blaydes at UFC Fight Night 185 in Las Vegas, before losing to Ciryl Gane and knocking out Chris Daukaus in round one in December 2021. His right uppercut and power anchor his 93 Boxing and 88 Durability.
Lewis kept finishing opponents between 2023 and 2024, stopping Marcos Rogerio de Lima in round one at UFC 291 in Salt Lake City and stopping Rodrigo Nascimento with punches in St. Louis in May 2024. His power and finishing instinct maintain his 92 Boxing and 86 Durability.
Derrick Lewis and the fight that is never over
Derrick Lewis is a Houston heavyweight whose game is one big punch, and he found that punch more often than almost anybody. He beat Francis Ngannou in 2018, knocked out Alexander Volkov with 11 seconds left later that year, and reached a title fight with Daniel Cormier at Madison Square Garden. He also became the all time knockout leader in the top promotion, with the Curtis Blaydes and Chris Daukaus finishes on the way to the record. Draft him for late drama.
Lewis, rating by rating
Boxing. Heavy hands and a right uppercut that ended the Blaydes fight. He threw with intent rather than volume.
Kickboxing. Not a big part of his game. He seldom threw kicks.
Wrestling. Better than expected for a puncher, especially at getting back to his feet when taken down.
BJJ. The lowest number on his card. He was submitted in the Cormier fight in 2018.
Strength. The top of his card. His punching power comes from natural size and torque.
Durability. Took hard shots and stayed conscious. The Volkov comeback is the best proof.
Cardio. Modest. He famously tired in some fights and depended on power to make up for it.
Fight IQ. Improved over time. He learned to pick moments rather than swing wildly.
Strength, and a punch that can turn a losing fight
At 96, Strength is the reason he keeps getting up from bad rounds and winning. Against fighters with deeper skills, he can be behind on points and still finish. That makes him a strong choice when you want a high variance heavyweight and are willing to trust a single punch.
BJJ leaves him exposed on the mat
His 64 in BJJ is the bottom of the card. Cormier took his back and choked him in 2018, and any competent grappler will look for the same path. If you draft him, put skill on the mat elsewhere in the lineup, and hope his wrestling defence keeps the fight standing.
Keep exploring
Closest heavyweight profiles to Derrick Lewis, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Shane Carwinbest strength 96 · weakest kickboxing 65
- Sergei Pavlovichbest strength 96 · weakest bjj 68
- Tai Tuivasabest strength 92 · weakest bjj 62
- Greg Hardybest strength 92 · weakest bjj 60
- Heavyweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Grappling vs striking in the draft: a guide that fits Derrick Lewis's strongest attribute, Strength.
Draft Derrick Lewis into your build
Derrick Lewis enters the pool on any spin landing on heavyweight between 2014 and present. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are my own estimates, made with AI assistance and informed by how Derrick Lewis is regarded by the MMA community. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Derrick Lewis's real-world abilities. How the ratings are made. See the disclaimer below. Ratings and write-ups by Haaris A. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read our editorial standards.