UFC Scrambles to Find Challenger as Aspinall Prepares for Title Defense

UFC CEO Dana White has indicated that Derrick Lewis could be one victory away from a title opportunity against heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall, according to recent reports.

At UFC Fight Night on Saturday, Lewis achieved a knockout against Tallison Teixeira in just 35 seconds of their heavyweight main event.

Lewis felled Teixeira with a left hook in the fight’s initial moments, then followed up with right hands until the referee, Jason Herzog, stopped the bout. This victory marked Lewis’s 16th career knockout in the UFC, extending his record.

Following Lewis’s triumph, White addressed the possibility of a title shot for the former title contender, stating:

“That’s often the case in the heavyweight division. These guys don’t have to drastically cut weight. A fight can shift with a single blow. They were both aiming for that decisive hit, and he landed it. I felt the stoppage was somewhat premature, but it is what it is.”

Weeks prior, Aspinall, who held the interim title for the longest duration in UFC history, was officially named the undisputed heavyweight champion after Jon Jones’s retirement was confirmed.

Aspinall’s 19-month wait as interim champion has made him the third British fighter to secure a UFC title.

His hopes for a unification match with Jones were dashed when the American star chose to retire from the sport.

Now, Aspinall is preparing for his first title defense as the UFC actively searches for his next opponent.