Count on fireworks: Fan-friendly showdown between Derrick Lewis & Alexey Oleynik confirmed as UFC important occasion

With an unimaginable 73 mixed finishes inside the gap of their careers, heavyweights Derrick Lewis and Alexey Oleynik’s fights do not usually final lengthy – however who will come out on high of their August UFC important occasion conflict?

It was confirmed late on Tuesday that the 2 heavyweights will meet in a battle anticipated to happen on the UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas on August eight in what can be a gathering of two of the UFC’s most skilled sluggers – and neither of them prefer to go to determination, promising battle followers a totally entertaining encounter for nevertheless lengthy it lasts.

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Oleynik will come into the battle on the again of successive victories towards Maurice Greene and former heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum whom he bested by break up determination in Jacksonville final month, and will place himself just a few rungs up the ladder of contenders with a win towards former title challenger Lewis who has additionally earned victories in his final two fights towards Ilir Latifi and Blagoy Ivanov. 

Previous to that, ‘The Black Beast’ suffered two defeats on the bounce towards former champions Junior Dos Santos and Daniel Cormier, in what was a heavyweight title battle inside Madison Sq. Backyard in 2018. 

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Получил новый контракт на бой. eight августа, главный бой вечера, Деррик Льюис. С Богом @ufc @ufcrussia @danawhite @mickmaynard2 @seanshelby @arielhelwani @americantopteam @danlambertatt @zitopartners @freedom__roads @bokamotoespn @mmajunkiedotcom #mma #ufc #oleynik #warrior

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Lewis vs. Oleynik has the DNA of the normal ‘striker vs. grappler’ matchup on which the UFC laid its foundations greater than 1 / 4 century in the past. However removed from being only a conflict of types, the battle brings collectively two fighters with among the many most spectacular skill to complete fights at a second’s discover.

The American’s uncanny energy in his fists is a potent equalizer. Simply ask Alexander Volkov, who dominated Lewis via nearly all of three rounds in 2018 solely to be knocked out by a sequence of Lewis ‘Hail Mary’ photographs within the bout’s remaining moments. 

Oleynik, too, possesses this identical king of fight-ending skill. Simply two fights in his UFC profession have gone to the judges and he boasts quite a lot of first spherical submissions on his document, lots of which (12, the truth is) have come from his vice-like Ezekiel Choke approach which has been honed by 1000’s of hours on the follow mat. 

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At 42, Oleynik is aware of that his possibilities of securing a UFC heavyweight title bout are narrowing. A 3rd win on the bounce, and towards a fighter of Lewis’ repute, will surely insert him into that dialog however in a contemporary UFC panorama which appears to account for ‘model factors’ within the cage as a lot as outcomes, he is aware of spectacular end is required.

There aren’t many heavyweights higher outfitted to do that than submission specialist Oleynik – however time will inform if Derrick Lewis is one in every of them.