Derrick Lewis vows to KO Jailton Almeida “in the first minute” of UFC Sao Paulo

Derrick Lewis has shared a bold prediction for his UFC Sao Paulo main event against Jailton Almeida.

Lewis stepped up on about a month’s notice to face Almeida in Brazil in the headlining spot of UFC Sao Paulo. Heading into the scrap, ‘The Black Beast’ is a sizeable betting underdog, but he isn’t paying much attention to that. Lewis knows he’s been counted out plenty of times before and is confident he will KO Almeida early to silence the crowd.

“I believe I’m a bad matchup with anyone,” Derrick Lewis said on the UFC promo video. “The way my attitude goes into the Octagon, it’s unpredictable. I don’t know what Almeida’s game plan is, I think Almeida’s game plan right now is to just not get hit. If I catch him, what’s going to happen? I believe we are going to play Uno, me him in the Octagon sit Indian style, what else (do) you think is gonna happen if I touch him?

“I’m a very dangerous guy, I believe I’m getting better with age, as long as I move forward I believe I get the job done. He’s going to want to take the fight to the ground, try and get me tired, I believe he’s going to be in for a rude awakening,” Lewis continued. “I believe I have the advantage in this fight, I’m going to get it done in the first minute, his game plan is going to go out the window.”

If Derrick Lewis does KO Jailton Almeida in the first minute at UFC Sao Paulo it would be a statement-making performance. It would also be the second straight fight that Lewis has accomplished the feat as he’s coming off a 33-second knockout over Marcos Rogerio de Lima.

Lewis is currently ranked 10th at heavyweight and would be in line for a big fight next time out with an upset win here.