Daniel Cormier will defend his UFC heavyweight championship against Derrick Lewis at UFC 230 in New York City on November 3.
So says UFC president Dana White, who in a report by ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, confirmed reports that the UFC were looking to bring the heavyweight collision to Madison Square Garden. According to Okamoto, Cormier himself confirmed he’d accepted the title fight.
BREAKING: Per Dana White, "the fight is done" between Daniel Cormier and Derrick Lewis at UFC 230 on Nov. 3 in New York.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) October 9, 2018
Also confirmed directly with Daniel Cormier he's accepted the Derrick Lewis fight at UFC 230 on Nov. 3 in Madison Square Garden.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) October 9, 2018
It’s a surprising turn of events.
The UFC’s struggles with finding a main event for UFC 230 have been well documented, with the promotion desperate to feature a title fight in their return to the world’s most famous arena. Despite Nate Diaz and Dustin Poirier’s attempts to get a new world title at 165-pounds, it appeared as if Valentina Shevchenko vs. Sijara Eubanks was set to headline.
Then, after Lewis’ comeback win at UFC 229 on Saturday, the Black Beast exploded in popularity online after cutting a brilliantly funny promo with Joe Rogan in the cage after his win. Still, for Cormier to accept a bout is a surprise, with the heavyweight champion in line for a lucrative fight with Brock Lesnar early next year, and with him supposedly nursing a hand injury that stopped him accepting a bout with rival Jon Jones.
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