Derrick Lewis wasn’t surprised to hear the reason behind Francis Ngannou’s baffling performance at UFC 226.
The much-anticipated battle between the two heavyweight contenders ended being a lackluster affair that saw Lewis win an uneventful unanimous decision. For Lewis, the reason for his own sluggish showing was simple: A lingering back injury flared up at exactly the wrong moment and severely handicapped “The Black Beast” throughout the match. Ngannou’s issues, however, were less physical and had more to do with his mental state. “The Predator” admitted after the fight that “fear” stemming from his previous lopsided title loss to Stipe Miocic hampered his performance at UFC 226.