UFC Wichita: Derrick Lewis Really, Really Wants to Fight Francis Ngannou Again…

Derrick Lewis already has a win over Francis Ngannou, but the fighter really, really, wants to throw hands with his fellow heavyweight contender again…

When the Lewis – Ngannou bout was announced for UFC 226 last year, it was instantly added to most folk’s must-see lists. After all, Lewis and Ngannou are two of the most powerful fighters on the roster. But, if you watched the July 7th card, you know the fight turned out to be a complete dud. So much so, some observers labeled it as one of the worst heavyweight fights in UFC history.

Well, in advance of his fight this Saturday with Junior dos Santos, Lewis had this to say about Ngannou (quotes via MMA Junkie):

“I would like to fight him again,” Lewis said. “If he gets to the title, then, yes, I’ll fight him again. I would love to fight him again if he gets the title shot.

“I have to right the wrong. I can’t retire without fighting Francis again – at least get in a good shot on the guy. Goddamn, I wish I would have gotten a good shot on him. We’ll see how this year plays out.”

There you have it. Provided both Ngannou and Lewis remain at the top of the heavyweight division for the foreseeable future, there’s a decent chance these two will battle once again. Lewis is 34, which is fairly young for a heavyweight, and Ngannou is 32.

Here is the complete line-up for Saturday’s UFC Wichita event.

MAIN CARD (ESPN+/8 p.m. ET)

Heavyweight: Derrick Lewis vs. Junior dos Santos

Welterweight: Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos vs. Curtis Millender

Welterweight: Tim Means vs. Niko Price

Heavyweight: Blagoy Ivanov vs. Ben Rothwell

Lightweight: Beneil Dariush vs. Drew Dober

Middleweight: Tim Boetsch vs. Omari Akhmedov

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+/5 p.m. ET)

Welterweight: Anthony Rocco Martin vs. Sergio Moraes

Female Bantamweight: Yana Kunitskaya vs. Marion Reneau

Featherweight: Grant Dawson vs. Julian Erosa