Derrick Lewis is planning for a quick finish against Mark Hunt

On June 12, the UFC will return to beautiful New Zealand with an exciting looking card. This card will be topped by a big main event, as MMA legend Mark Hunt collides with streaking heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis.

Hunt, of course, is a hometown hero in New Zealand and Australia. Lewis, then, will represent the visiting team, and he expects plenty of boos as a result.

“I expect the crowd to come out and boo me and throw bananas and stuff like that,” he said in a recent interview with NewsHub. “I’m used to all of that – it’s fun.”

Lewis added that he’s happy to play the villain against a legend like Hunt.

“I want them to go out there and cheer for him, he deserves it. He’s a legend in the sport and they should be going out there and cheering for their hero. I’m pretty sure he’s like Michael Jordan out there in New Zealand.”

While Lewis considers Hunt a true legend of MMA, however, he’s hoping to end things quickly and emphatically. The flight home from New Zealand to Texas, after all, will not be particularly pleasant if he comes up short.

“Hopefully I can get him out of there first or second round, the fight will be over with before it goes to a decision. It’s going to be a 20-something hour flight out there to you guys, you guys already live on the next day so it’s going to be a long ride home if things don’t go my way.”

“I’m going out there preparing for war…kill or be killed.”

Lewis will enter this bout on an impressive six-fight streak. His most recent win occurred in Halifax in February, when he weathered a spot of early adversity to knock Travis Browne out cold in the second.

Do you Derrick Lewis can get it done against Mark Hunt?

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 5/16/2017.