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Weeks after his high school graduation at the age of 19, Derrick Lewis found himself in murky waters. Lewis was placed on probation for aggravated assault. Nearly two years later he was handed a five-year prison sentence for violating his parole.
Derrick Lewis revealed that he ran into a member of the Klu Klux Klan during a night of drinking. A fight ensued shortly after a series of insults were traded. The fight left Lewis' victim blinded in one eye even though he was in possession of a shotgun.
'The Black Beast', in the aftermath of the incident, was slapped with a probationary sentence of two years. During this time, he pursued a college education at Kilgore College on a full football scholarship.
However, he went on to violate his probation, resulting in a 5-year prison sentence of which he served three and a half years.
Derrick Lewis fought for the title on release anniversary
Derrick Lewis most recently found himself in a scrap for the interim heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane at UFC 265 back in August 2021. The third round of the fight saw Derrick Lewis succumb to a KO, bringing his title hopes to an end.
While in conversation with the media, however, Derrick Lewis revealed that he was putting a tremendous amount of pressure on himself due to the significance of the day on which their fight took place. Lewis revealed that fight night coincided with the 13-year anniversary of his release from prison.
"Man it was just overwhelming, fighting in my hometown, all that pressure I had on me. I put all that pressure on myself. It would have made it what 13 years? Since the day I got out of prison. It would've made 13 years on the day I got out of prison. And winning the title for the UFC heavyweight champion, I put so much pressure on myself it was just nerve-wracking," admitted Derrick Lewis.
'The Black Beast' is expected to fight Chris Daukas next as he sets off on another charge for the title. The fight is to take place at UFC Night 199 and serves as the main event.
