Fan-favorite Derrick Lewis will return for the first time in more than a year against a burgeoning terror.
Derrick Lewis Faces Top Prospect Tallison Teixeira in “Smashville” July 12
The UFC returns to Nashville this July, bringing with it a monumental heavyweight tilt between perennial contender Lewis (28-12-0, 1 NC MMA, 19-10 UFC) and recent promotional debutant Tallison Texieira (8-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 260.
Coming off of a main event knockout over Rodrigo Nascimento, Lewis will be looking to preserve his ranking when he locks horns with one of the more promising young names the division has seen in some time. For Tallison Teixeira, he has the opportunity to smash his way into the top 10 should he manage to topple the company’s KO king.
Failed Title Bid Leads To Middling Late-Stage Career for Lewis Ahead of Tallison Teixeira Tilt
Entering his second major championship bout at UFC 265, Derrick Lewis was riding a sensational four-fight win streak with victories over Blagoy Ivanov, Ilir Latifi, Aleksei Oleinik and Curtis Blaydes.
However, a third-round stoppage to Ciryl Gane saw his string of success come to a crashing halt. In the years since the loss, “The Black Beast” has struggled to remain consistent, racking up a lackluster 3-4 record in past seven contests ahead of the upcoming fight vs. Tallison Teixeira
Tallison Texieira Secured UFC Ranking in One Fight
Following a perfect run on the regional circuit, including two first round finishes in the LFA, Tallison Texieira scored a UFC contract in less than two minutes with a thunderous dismantling of Arthur Lopes on Dana White’s Contender Series last year.
He then would make his long-awaited debut on the main card of UFC 312 this previous February, where he fought fellow 265-lb bruiser Justin Tafa. Making the most of the pay-per-view slotting, “Xicão” ended the encounter in just 35 seconds, flattening Tafa with a barrage of knees and elbows.
The win not only made Tallison Teixeira a legitimate prospect in the blink of an eye, it also awarded the Brazilian with an official UFC ranking, reaching all the way to No. 14 in the heavyweight class.
In a recent episode of the Couch Warrior Podcast, host Mike welcomed Charalampos Grigoriou, who recently won a contract during season 7 of Dana White's Contender Series after knocking out Cameron Smotherman one minute into the fight. The conversation delved into Grigoriou's martial arts journey, his feelings on representing Cyprus and Greece, and future plans.
