Derrick Lewis eyes Alistair Overeem fight after UFC Vegas 19 - ‘I want to clap them cheeks’

Derrick Lewis will face Curtis Blaydes in the main event of UFC Vegas 19 this Saturday night (Feb. 20, 2021) in Las Vegas, Nevada, in what will likely be a hard-hitting affair that will inch the winner closer to a future Heavyweight title shot. And while “The Black Beast” has all of his attention on “Razor,” he still has another fight he wants to check off his list. During a recent virtual media day (see the video here), Lewis pleaded with Alistair Overeem to not retire anytime soon because he still wants the chance to trade hands.

“I would like to fight Overeem next,” he said. “I don’t know if Overeem is still going to be around after that last performance, but I don’t care who I fight next. We will see.

“Just so ya’ll know, Overeem has been running his mouth first,” he added about their looming beef. “I wasn’t the one talking crap. I don’t go around talking mess about other fighters because I know this is a tough sport. I am not going to just dog a guy because of his performance or nothing like that, but Overeem’s been talking trash to me and that’s the fight I want next.”

In closing, Lewis had one final plea for Overeem, who has stated numerous times that his career is nearing its end. And after suffering a knockout loss at the hands of Alexander Volkov a few weeks ago (see it), the door seems to be closing a bit quicker.

Something Lewis doesn’t want to see happen yet.

“If Overeem is watching this, you still got it. Look in my eyes, you still got it. So do not hang them up just yet because I do really want a piece of that. I want to clap them cheeks,” Lewis said, while laughing (in a separate press conference).

The big men have chirped at each other through the media over the years, but a fight between them never came to fruition; however, it seems Lewis is determined to get his hands on “The Reem” one way or another.