EXCLUSIVE
Junior Dos Santos is a BAD man, and Derrick Lewis knows beatin’ him ain’t gonna be easy, but when he does … “The Black Beast” knows who’s next in line for an ass-whoopin’ — Stipe Miocic.
Lewis is headlining UFC Fight Night 146 this weekend in Kansas against Dos Santos — a 6’4″, 250-pound ex-UFC heavyweight champion — who’s beaten 5 former UFC heavyweight champs.
The champs JDS has beaten … Fabricio Werdum, Cain Velasquez, Frank Mir, Shane Carwin, and Stipe Miocic.
So, it’s gonna be a TOUGH fight … but Derrick tells TMZ Sports after he takes care of biz Saturday … he knows exactly who’s on deck for a date in the Octagon.
“Stipe is the next guy.”
The fight ain’t a pipe dream either … Lewis told us Dana White actually tried to make the fight back in January — but Derrick wanted to chill after fighting Daniel Cormier.
But, Stipe ain’t the only guy on Lewis’ hit list … “The Black Beast” says he also wants to run back the Francis Ngannou fight.
“I have to get that fight out of the way again before I retire, ya know? Just to make it right for the fans. Not right for myself. Right for the fans.”
Remember, Lewis won the July 2018 match … but there were only 31 total strikes landed combined and it’s widely considered one of the most boring fights ever in the UFC.
Lewis wants to rewrite history … under one condition.
We also talked to Derrick about Jon Jones possibly moving to heavyweight … and asked if a Jon Jones-Derrick Lewis fight was in the future.