Derrick Lewis nearly fought Jon Jones, could see himself fighting for UFC title again

Derrick Lewis has had a rollercoaster of a UFC career over the last decade or so. But at one point, he nearly had the chance to fight the arguable UFC GOAT in Jon Jones.

Lewis had just beaten Chris Daukas in a bounce back win following a loss in his interim title fight to Ciryl Gane. There was still much uncertainty regarding how the heavyweight division’s future would look, as the UFC was in the midst of negotiations with Francis Ngannou when he was still champion.

Lewis’ win over Daukas was followed by a devastating loss to Tai Tuivasa. This led to Gane fighting Jones, and although Jones beat Gane, Lewis still remains in the mix over two years later.

Derrick Lewis Calls Out Tom Aspinall

Lewis draws Tallison Teixeira this Saturday in the UFC Nashville main event. With a win, he told MMAJunkie Tuesday he’d love to fight UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall before he hangs it up.

Aspinall is the undisputed champio — Nov 11, 2023; New York, NY, USA; Tom Aspinall (blue gloves) reacts to beating Sergei Pavlovich (red gloves) during UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

“That'd be good to fight him before everything is said and done with,” Lewis said of Aspinall. “I have a couple fights left on my contract, and I would love to finish out my contract. That would be great if I can. It'd be good.”

Lewis says his previous title fight opportunities have been non-traditional, but he hopes the next one is rightfully-earned.

“I ended up fighting DC's big a** on short notice, then they tried to give me an interim title fight with Gane,” Lewis said. “I haven't really fought for the title with a proper buildup for a title fight, and that time to train and everything like that mentally.”

He’ll have a chance to prove he won’t need any last-minute favors if he continues to win, remaining a key contender in the division.

Lewis is making his return to the Octagon for the first time in 14 months, whereas this is only Teixeira's second UFC fight.

More MMA Knockout News

• 5 reasons to watch UFC Fight Night Nashville: Derrick Lewis vs. Tallison Teixeira

• UFC continues international expansion with first fight card in Qatar

• UFC 318 opening odds reveal surprising lines for Dustin Poirier vs. Max Holloway

• Max Holloway puts retirement chatter to rest with clear message

Stick with MMAKnockout for more FREE coverage of the UFC and MMA.

Follow MMAKnockout on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.