What did we do to deserve this?
Two of the heavyweight division’s most entertaining sluggers, men who beat up car thieves and drink beer from other people’s shoes, are set to step into a cage with one another in a little over a month’s time and we, the viewing public, get to see what happens for as long as it lasts.
Derrick Lewis and Tai Tuivasa, men with a combined 33 knockouts in 39 wins, are set to face one another at the UFC 271 event in Houston, Texas — a town that Lewis has called home since 1998. News of the booking was first reported by MMA Junkie.
This should be fireworks. Each of Lewis’ last four fights have ended in a knockout one way or another, including last month’s conclusive shut down of Chris Daukaus with just a sole loss to future title contender Ciyrl Gane along the way. Tuivasa, meanwhile, has won four straight against Stefan Struve, Harry Hunsucker, Greg Hardy and Augusto Sakai, and each of those by knockout.
Presumably a few shoes were ruined shortly afterwards, too.
The UFC 271 card is set to be topped by a middleweight title rematch between champion Israel Adesanya and former champ Robert Whittaker.