Derrick Lewis is reportedly unfazed by the prospect of fighting outdoors at UFC Freedom 250, even with the potential for insects to be a factor. Lewis, known as ‘The Black Beast’, is scheduled to face Josh Hokit on June 14th on the grounds of the White House. The unique location and the departure from a controlled arena environment have sparked discussions about potential challenges, such as heat and insects encroaching into the octagon.
However, the veteran knockout artist has expressed that these elements do not concern him. In comments made at a UFC media day preceding the event, Lewis shared his perspective. He humorously recalled a past outdoor fight: “The last time I fought outside, they locked me up for three and a half years, so I have experience in that. I live in Texas. We got mosquitos and bugs all day long. Biting a** all day. So, I’m used to that.”
Beyond the environmental factors, Lewis also addressed the unconventional trash talk emanating from his opponent, Josh Hokit. Lewis stated in a May interview with MMA Fighting that he is not bothered by Hokit’s antics. He believes such behavior is often a tactic employed by fighters who don’t know their opponent well, as a way to find motivation before a fight. “I really don’t care,” Lewis said. “I believe that guys do stuff like that just because it ain’t nothing else we can go after. Because he don’t know me and I don’t know him. So, I believe that he just says and does things like that just to get under someone’s skin that he don’t know. We’re about to go fist to a** in a few weeks, so it’s like, you’ve got to try to find some type of motivation.”
Lewis further elaborated on his detached approach to verbal sparring, stating, “I don’t care about all the s**t-talking. I’ve been doing this long enough to know that guys can say whatever. Say whatever, it don’t matter. We get asked these questions all the time, so sometimes guys don’t know what to say, so they just say whatever. That’s how I do it.”
English Translation:
Derrick Lewis is ready to compete in an outdoor setting once again and is not deterred by the potential presence of insects at UFC Freedom 250. ‘The Black Beast’ is set to face the polarizing and rapidly rising heavyweight Josh Hokit on the White House grounds on June 14th. Many are highlighting the unique variables of this event.
This includes not only the specific location but also the underlying considerations for an event held outside of a controlled, curated environment like an arena. Excessive heat and the possibility of insects entering the cage have been discussed by many, but the popular heavyweight knockout artist remains completely unswayed by these elements.
At the UFC media day ahead of the White House event scheduled for Sunday, Lewis, with a quote excerpt provided by the X account @MMAFullMount, stated:
“The last time I fought outside, they locked me up for three and a half years, so I have experience in that. I live in Texas. We got mosquitos and bugs all day long. Biting a** all day. So, I’m used to that.”
Derrick Lewis Ignores Josh Hokit’s Antics, Prepares for a “Fist to Ass” Showdown
Derrick Lewis is unconcerned about literal sweating and figuratively unbothered by Josh Hokit’s peculiar trash talk, which has become a hallmark of Hokit’s persona. This was expressed during a recent interview in May with MMA Fighting, where Lewis commented:
“I really don’t care. I believe that guys do stuff like that just because there’s nothing else to go after. Because he doesn’t know me, and I don’t know him. So, I believe he just says and does things like that just to get under the skin of someone he doesn’t know. We’re about to go fist to ass in a few weeks, so it’s like, you’ve got to try to find some type of motivation.”
“I don’t care about all the shit-talking. I’ve been doing this long enough to know that guys can say whatever. Say whatever, it doesn’t matter. We get asked these questions all the time, so sometimes guys don’t know what to say, so they just say whatever. That’s how I do it.”
