Derrick Lewis says he dislikes Francis Ngannou and it’s not because of a rivalry in the cage.
Lewis (25-7 MMA, 16-5 UFC), who already holds a win over current UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou (16-3 MMA, 11-2 UFC), is expected to run it back with “The Predator” this summer.
When asked by reporters why he doesn’t like Ngannou, a 285-pound Lewis jokingly said it’s because he makes him look out of shape.
“He makes me look fat when I stand next to him so f*ck him,” Lewis said during a guest fighter interview at UFC 262 on Saturday. “F*ck Francis. And eat some Popeyes.”
“I really don’t like none of the guys that I fight, none of the guys in my division,” Lewis said. “Just because the type of mindset I go into each and every fight. I don’t want to be friends with none of them. So, f*ck them.”
Lewis’ first outing with Ngannou at UFC 226 was an absolute dud. In a battle between two of the sport’s most devastating knockout artists, their fight ended up being a lackluster one, with both men tentative to throw.
“It can’t be any worse than it was,” Lewis said. “So it has to be. Even if it’s one punch extra than the last fight, it gotta be better than it was, and I believe it is because we both improved in a lot of areas than we were in the last fight we had.”
