There’s a lot of people excited about this. After all, Legacy is inarguably the highest profile show to hit DFW since Strikeforce came down with the heavyweight grand prix in June 2011. And Texans actually care about this one.
One person who may not be especially excited that Legacy 13 is in Dallas as opposed to its usual home in Houston is main event fighter Derrick “Black Beast” Lewis.
He’ll be taking on Dallas-based 4x collegiate wrestling All-American Jared Rosholt for the Legacy heavyweight title on Friday night in the main event of the evening.
“I do NOT like Dallas,” he told TXMMA. “I’m a Houston boy and I hate the Cowboys. I don’t like that place. Go Texans!”
It’s certain that Lewis won’t be the one getting cheered by the crowd on that long walk to the cage come fight time this Friday but he’s pretty used to that already. And he’s even used to being the underdog, as he likely will be Friday night. That doesn’t bother him either.
“My favorite memory was beating the dog sh*t out of someone that everyone said I didn’t have a chance to beat,” Derrick says, likely talking about his clash with then-undefeated pro Ryan Martinez (now 7-1) in Colorado’s Fight to Win: Worlds Collide event back in July 2010. Lewis would finish him via second round TKO that night.
Several years later and “The Black Beast” is still looking to establish his place as one of the top heavyweights in the world to watch out for.
“I’m fighting to make a better living my family,” says Lewis – once a convicted felon but now four years free with a chance to make more of his life than he once ever dreamed. It’s that determination that drives him to be a go-getter.
“When I’m in good shape, it’s going to be very hard to beat me, I don’t care what level they think they’re on. I’m a totally different fighter than anybody else… I really am a beast and will really try to kill my opponent in the cage. It’s a good thing that can’t happen because of the referee but that’s the kind of intensity I’m gonna bring.”
Good, he says. Derrick is trying to make it to the UFC and realizes he’ll have to run through world class to get there and then do it over and over again each and every time he steps back into the cage. Why not start now.
“Let me see what them hands look like but bring on that wrestling too I got something for that I promise you.”
“I can see the fight starting off strong from both of us t but hen by the second round I’m going for the kill if it’s there. It’s going to TKO him. He’s going to feel something that he never felt in his life. I promise that.”
Fighter Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Silverback Fight Club and all my training partners, especially big Chris “Chocolate Drop” Taylor. Thanks to all my sponsors – My Fight Shop, Demon Ink (Eric James), massage therapist with Wellmess, MMA Overload, and a special thanks to 4OZ Fight Club for letting me come over there and cross train with Larry Crowe. Of course thanks to Mick for the title shot and thanks again to TXMMA. – Derrick Lewis